Modern Optical Engineering

Course Description

Please note: The course descriptions and instructors listed below are NOT final, it is possible that circumstances beyond our control could necessitate alterations.

2024: Offered remotely from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily


June 10, Monday

Optical Engineering for Biomedical Optics, Professor Jim Zavislan (Rochester)

June 11, Tuesday

Optical Testing and Instrumentation, Dr. Paul Murphy (QED Optics)

Interferometric optical testing, including Fizeau, Twyman-Green, Mach-Zehnder, Scatterplate, and Smartt point-diffraction interferometers are described for the testing of optical components and optical systems. Theory and applications of phase-shifting interferometers are discussed. Special techniques for the testing of aspheric surfaces are outlined.

June 12, Wednesday

Wave-Front Sensing, Seung-Whan Bahk (Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics)

June 13, Thursday

Optical Thin Films, Dr. Jennifer Kruschwitz (Rochester)

Survey of applications for optical thin-film coatings; reflectance and transmittance at a boundary; vector methods and the Smith chart. Production considerations, including vacuum evaporation, evaporation sources, uniformity calculations, thickness monitoring, chamber configuration, and materials.

June 14, Friday

Introduction to Electronic Imaging: A Systems Approach, Jonathan Phillips (Imatest)

This course provides an overview of electronic imaging systems, describing the stages of image capture, digital processing, image output and viewing by a human observer. The student will become familiar with sampling and aliasing as they pertain to two-dimensional sensor arrays, digitization and sensor noise sources, CCD and CMOS architectures, and issues relating to correct matching of lenses and sensor arrays. Basic digital image processing algorithms such as demosaicing, deconvolution and sharpening will be discussed, and computational imaging concepts such as extended depth of field will be introduced. Digital image output in the form of projection displays, flat panel displays, and digital writers will be discussed. Finally, the spatial, temporal, and chromatic response of the human visual system will be reviewed, in the context of setting specifications for electronic imaging systems.