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PHY 5553 - QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
SPRING SEMESTER 2001 - SYLLABUS

COURSE SYNOPSIS The aim of the course is to give a description of the basic principles of lasers and laser action.  This course is a graduate level introduction to the theory and applications of lasers. The basic physics lasers is presented in this course at a fairly sophisticated level. Topics covered will include: Semi-classical description of absorption and emission of light by matter; effects of cavities and optical elements; theory of lasers-gas, liquid, solid state and semiconductor; Techniques of mode-locking, Q-switching, phase conjugation. Time permitting the course will end with a brief introduction to non-linear optics.

CLASS WEBSITE I will keep a website for the course at http://www.physics.uco.edu/~wwilson/Quantum_Electronics/. Look there for important announcements, this syllabus, lecture schedule/notes, homework solutions, etc.

PREREQUISITES Basic knowledge of electromagnetic theory, optics, quantum mechanics and statistical physics at the level of PHY 3104 (Modern Physics), PHY 3183 (Electricity and Magnetism) and PHY 4264 (Optics) or PHY 5163 (Applied Optics)  or their equivalent. Only elementary differential equations need be solved to obtain the wide range of important practical formulae which we will develop.

INSTRUCTOR Dr. Weldon Wilson
Department of Physics and Engineering
Howell Hall 221H

Phone: 974-5470
Email: wwilson@uco.edu
URL: http://www.physics.uco.edu/~wwilson/


OFFICE HOURS MWF 11:00-12:00.

Office hours are as listed, but I am usually around from 9-4 during the week whenever I am not teaching class or in committee meetings, or . . . .  Please feel free to come by any time, especially if you want to talk about physics or school. I would ask you, however, to avoid the hour just before I teach a class if at all possible.


TEXTBOOK Laser Fundamentals, by William T. Silfvast (Cambridge University Press, 1996). See the Quantum Electronics course website for details.

HOMEWORK Physics is a subject that can be learned only by working many exercises and problems. Moreover, the exams will consist of problems similar to those assigned as homework and those at the end of each chapter of your textbook. For this reason, weekly homework assignments will be made. These homework assignments will be collected at the start of the period on the due date. Late homework will not be accepted. The homework will be graded and forms a significant portion of  the grade received for the course. 

Homework solutions should be neatly written on standard notebook-size (8.5" x 11") paper using one side only and each problem should be started on a new page. It is helpful if the pages are stapled together. For full credit, your homework problem solutions should clearly state the principle of physics and/or formula being used and fully explain all reasoning.


EXAMS There will be a midterm exam and a comprehensive final given on the days indicated in the course schedule.  All exams will be closed book and comprehensive. A formula sheet will be provided.  If you miss an exam, you should contact your instructor as soon as possible to schedule a make-up exam.

GRADES Course grades will be calculated with the following weighting:
 
Homework 30%
Midterm Exam  30%
Final Exam  40%

Grades may or may not be curved, at your instructor's discretion. In any case, you can be guaranteed at least the following scale:
                A > 90% > B > 80% > C > 70% > D > 60% > F


EQUITY STATEMENT Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Adaptive Needs Coordinator Brad Morelli at ext. 2573, or see me after class as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

The Hi-Tech Hereticwwilson@uco.edu • Last modified 2001 January 3

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