Lasers and Modern Optics for Undergraduates

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The Department of Physics places a high value on undergraduate laboratory experiences. In recent years, the Department of Physics and College of Science have made strong commitments to expanding the upper-division laboratory courses. One of the most recent additions to the laboratory course offerings is the Lasers and Modern Optics course, which features both lecture and laboratory components. The Lasers and Modern Optics course introduces students to some of the many optical concepts beyond the simple ray optics and diffraction theory found in most introductory physics courses. With this project, the authors seek to enhance the Lasers and Modern Optics course by providing modern equipment for the students. Because lasers and modern optical techniques are now found in everyday life, as well as many research areas, this course appeals to a wide variety of students. Students experienced with lasers and modern optical techniques have an employment advantage as they begin careers in a world that is increasing in technological sophistication. The purpose of the project is to improve present experiments and add several advanced experiments. The new experiments can elucidate several principles involving nonlinear optics, acousto-optics, electro-optics, liquid crystals, atomic resonance excitation, and laser stabilization.