LET 205: 90600 - FUNDAMENTALS OF LIGHT

Fall 2016 SEMESTER

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Desiré Whitmore, PhD                  OFFICE:       ATEP D108/ LSB 204

E-MAIL:     dwhitmore@ivc.edu                                  OFFICE PHONE:    949-282-2704

 

OFFICE HOURS:                                                                                                     MEETING TIMES:

  TH         3:00 PM  –  4:00 PM, ATEP rm D108                                   Lecture Th 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ATEP D106

   F         10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, ATEP rm D108                                          Lab Th 12:15 PM –  2:50 PM ATEP B102

M, W       5:30 PM  – 7:00 PM, IVC  rm LSB 204   

MATERIALS:

1. Bound notebook with graph pages for laboratory work (recommended to be correct type from the bookstore).  No other types of lab book will be accepted.  This notebook counts as part of the lab grade. You must enter data from each lab in your lab notebook and have the instructor sign it before you leave.  
2. EMAIL-- YOU MUST USE YOUR IVC E-MAIL!!    All other email will be ignored. E-mail is the best way to contact me. I check my e-mail from Monday through Friday, and will respond to messages within 48 hours. Make sure to type in an appropriate subject heading, which includes the title of the class (i.e., LET205 – Lab #1 Question). At the end of each message include your FULL name.

 

ONLINE:          This class will be using Canvas.  ivc.instructure.com.

 

BOOK:              Fundamentals of Light and Lasers, Course 1, 2nd edition, CORD/NSF, 2013.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course introduces the fundamental properties of light, including its interaction with and generation from materials. Essential components of optical systems are studied, including lenses, mirrors, prisms, windows, sources, detectors, optoelectronics, polarizers, fibers, and gratings. Students will gain hands-on experience with industrial hardware and tools as they construct basic optical component test setups and systems in the laboratory.

 

PREREQUISITE:         None,                                              RECOMMENDED PREPARATION:      Technical Math 321

 

QUIZZES: After each laboratory, we will a 5-10 minute quiz on the previous lecture.

 

LABORATORY: Lab notebooks should be used to take notes during lab as well as to record all data taken during experiments. Lab reports are due 1 week after the experiment takes place, and should be uploaded to Canvas

• Every lab report submitted needs to have the following title format: LET205_Lab1_Name.pdf

 

EXAMS: There will be one semi-cumulative midterm exam and a cumulative final exam. You will have three hours to complete each exam, and you may use only the equations sheets provided with any type of calculator which doesn’t connect to the internet. NO CELL PHONES allowed during the exams. For the first exam, exam revisions may be submitted in order to regain a maximum of 50% of the initially deducted points. On scratch paper, completely redo each part of every problem where points were deducted. Staple these behind the original exam and submit everything seven days after initially receiving back the graded exam.

 

Presentation: Each student will give a 5-10 minute oral presentation that will cover the measurements of a laboratory report of the student’s choice.

 

GRADES:

Quizzes        10%

Laboratory    40% (30% reports, 10% notebook)

Exams          40% (20% each)

Presentation 10%

Grading is based on a standard, non-curved scale. A curve will be implemented, if necessary, based on the distribution of grades throughout the course.

Percentage	90-100%	80-89%	70-79%	60-69%	<60%
Grade	A	B	C	D	F

ACADEMIC CODE: The academic code of conduct is in effect. Refer to the IVC Handbook for specific college guidelines. Presentations should be written for a non-technical audience, and should include a discussion of the lab's purpose, the techniques used to acquire data, a comparison of measurements to theoretical expectations, a discussion of required internet research, conclusions, and recommendations for improvement.

 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Comprehend the visible electromagnetic spectrum using optical hardware.
2. Determine the spectral content of various optical sources.
3. Evaluate other regions of the spectrum (infrared, ultraviolet, terahertz, etc.) and their applications.
4. Measure fundamental optical properties of common materials.
5. Utilize optical components to manipulate and direct light.
6. Select an appropriate source for various optical applications.
7. Align a simple system of optical components.
8. Measure, record, and analyze optical data using established proper laboratory practices.
9. Comprehend the optics of the human eye, and human interaction with light.

 TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

WK	DATES	Course content	EXPERIMENT
1 2 3 4	8/25 9/1 9/8 9/15	Properties of Optical Radiation, Lab Protocol Light-matter interaction Polarization I Polarization II	reflection/refraction transmission/absorption Malus’ Law Brewster’s Angle
5 6 7 8	9/22 9/29 10/6 10/13	Color/Properties of Light Total Internal Reflection Imaging Components NO LECTURE →  MIDTERM	Spectral Filtering Critical Angle Imaging NO LAB →  MIDTERM
9 10 11 12	10/20 10/27 11/3 11/10	Imaging Instruments Human Eyeball Components Diffraction and Interference Moiré Patterns	Telescopes Model Eyeball Laser collimation Testing Aperture Diffraction
13 14 15 16 FIN	11/17 11/24 12/1 12/8 12/15	Optical Sources and Spectra NO LECTURE--THANKSGIVING Detection and Radiometry Thin Film Coatings NO LECTURE- FINAL EXAM 10:30-12:30 PM	Gas Spectroscopy NO LAB – THANKSGIVING Irradiance Detector circuitry NO LAB – FINALS WEEK

 

NOTE: Any part of the above syllabus may be amended at any time during the semester at the discretion of the instructor.