Fall Term Schedule
Fall 2025
Number | Title | Instructor | Time |
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OPT 401-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This laboratory is for HOME students only, and is the first of three, in-person sections necessary for the MS HOME program. This lab includes individual training [bootcamp] on the use of an oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, laser power meters, aligning a laser, aligning a spatial filter, splicing an optical fiber, and aligning an optical assembly. An online, laser safety training course is also required. The course will end with a 12-hour laboratory, and written formal laboratory report.
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OPT 402-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This laboratory is the second of three, in-person sections necessary for the MS HOME program. This lab includes a 12- and 6-hour lab, and a formal 20 minute presentation.
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OPT 410-01
Mujdat Cetin
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This course provides a broad introduction to augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems. The course involves lectures covering an overview of all aspects of the AR/VR domain, as well as individual work performed by each student aimed at providing more intensive training on various aspects of AR/VR. Topics covered in the lectures and class workshops include history, conceptual origins, and design/evaluation principles of AR/VR technologies; optics/platforms/sensors/displays; auditory perception and spatial audio; graphics and computation; data processing and machine intelligence for AR/VR; introduction to AR/VR programming tools; societal implications and ethical aspects. At the end of the course, students will have gained familiarity with the techniques, languages, and cultures of fields integral to the convergent research theme of AR/VR. This course is co-instructed by Daniel Nikolov, Mujdat Cetin, Zhiyao Duan, Chenliang Xu, and Yuhao Zhu, and it includes additional guest lectures and workshops.
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OPT 411-1
William Renninger
TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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Advanced techniques utilizing vector calculus, series expansions, contour integration, integral transforms (Fourier, Laplace and Hilbert) asymptotic estimates, and second order differential equations.
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OPT 411-2
William Renninger
F 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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Advanced techniques utilizing vector calculus, series expansions, contour integration, integral transforms (Fourier, Laplace and Hilbert) asymptotic estimates, and second order differential equations.
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OPT 413-01
Gonzalo Mateos Buckstein
MW 4:50PM - 6:05PM
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The goal of this course is to learn how to model, analyze and simulate stochastic systems, found at the core of a number of disciplines in engineering, for example communication systems, stock options pricing and machine learning. This course is divided into five thematic blocks: Introduction, Probability review, Markov chains, Continuous-time Markov chains, and Gaussian, Markov and stationary random processes.
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OPT 425-1
Gary Wicks
TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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The course covers the following topics: emission of thermal radiation, modeling of optical propagation (radiometry), quantifying the human perception of brightness (photometry) and of color (colorimetry), fundamentals of noise in detection systems, parameters for specifying the performance of optical detectors, and a survey of several specific types of lasers.References: Boyd, Radiometry and the Detection of Optical Radiation; Kingston, Detection of Optical and Infrared Radiation.
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OPT 426-1
Kenneth Marshall
W 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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Two credits. Part one of two Liquid Crystal Materials courses, this part discusses structure, properties and applications. Part two available in spring semester.
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OPT 430-99
Jonathan Ellis
TR 6:15PM - 7:30PM
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This course focuses on establishing a foundation for optical engineers to interface with mechanical engineers as part of the optical system design process. Students will learn the basics of CAD using SolidWorks to perform simple design tasks such as making lens barrels simple mounted components. Students will then learn basic optical and metal fabrication techniques, including the manner in which standard components are manufactured. After, students will focus on standard mechanical tolerancing and the difference with optical tolerancing to understand the limitations between the two. Included in this discussion are aspects of GD&T and resources for understanding different datums and mechanical drawing features. Lastly, students will learn basic concepts from mechanics, including free-body diagrams, kinematic constraints, stress, strain, and combined stress.
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OPT 440-01
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
R 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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In the same way that the ability to generate and manipulate electrons leads to electronic devices, the ability to generate and manipulate photons leads to optics & photonics devices – the technology of the 21st century. Freeform optics is an emerging optics & photonics technology. The course will first reveal the history of freeform optics. We will next mathematically define freeform optics. Then, building on prior knowledge of optical aberration theory for rotationally symmetric systems, we will introduce Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) – the aberration theory of asymmetric systems, where originally, asymmetry due to misalignment was considered, but in this course, we will look at asymmetry due to freeform surfaces. With this foundation on the aberration theory of freeform systems, learning about freeform optics includes learning about designing freeform optical systems with the intention to successfully build them, fabricating them, testing them, and completing the full assembly and system-level test
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OPT 440-99
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
R 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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In the same way that the ability to generate and manipulate electrons leads to electronic devices, the ability to generate and manipulate photons leads to optics & photonics devices – the technology of the 21st century. Freeform optics is an emerging optics & photonics technology. The course will first reveal the history of freeform optics. We will next mathematically define freeform optics. Then, building on prior knowledge of optical aberration theory for rotationally symmetric systems, we will introduce Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) – the aberration theory of asymmetric systems, where originally, asymmetry due to misalignment was considered, but in this course, we will look at asymmetry due to freeform surfaces. With this foundation on the aberration theory of freeform systems, learning about freeform optics includes learning about designing freeform optical systems with the intention to successfully build them, fabricating them, testing them, and completing the full assembly and system-level test
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OPT 441-1
Dale Buralli
MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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This course is designed to give the student a basic working knowledge of image-forming optical systems. The course is oriented towards problem solving. Material covered includes: image formation, raytracing and first-order properties of systems; magnification, F/number, and numerical aperture; stops and pupils, telecentricity vignetting; telescopes, microscopes, magnifiers, and projection systems; the Delano diagram; the eye and visual systems, field lenses; optical glasses, the chromatic aberrations, and their correction; derivation of the monochromatic wavefront aberrations and study of their effects upon the image; third order properties of systems of thin lenses; effects of stop position and lens bending; aplanatic, image centered, and pupil centered surfaces; and field flatteners.References: Smith, Modern Optical Engineering, McGraw-Hill; Lecture notes.
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OPT 443-1
Georg Nadorff
TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This course covers fundamental ray optics that are necessary to understand todays simple to advanced optical systems. Included will be paraxial optics, first-order optical system design, illumination, optical glasses, chromatic effects, and an introduction to aberrations.References: Hecht, Optics (4th edition); Smith, Modern Optical Engineering; Lecture notes.
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OPT 445-01
Ethan Burnham-Fay
TR 4:50PM - 6:05PM
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This course focuses teaching the multidisciplinary aspects of designing complex, precise systems. In these systems, aspects from mechanics, optics, electronics, design for manufacturing/assembly, and metrology/qualification must all be considered to design, build, and demonstrate a successful precision system. The goal of this class is to develop a fundamental understanding of multidisciplinary design for designing the next generation of advanced instrumentation.
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OPT 446-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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This course addresses the design, manufacture and quality control of optical interference coatings. Topics covered include: reflection and transmission at an interface; the vector diagram; the Smith Chart; properties of periodic media; design of high reflectors, bandpass filters and edge filter; use of computer programs for design analysis; production techniques; thickness monitoring; and thickness uniformity calculations.
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OPT 449-1
Joshua Cobb
TR 4:50PM - 7:30PM
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This course is intended as an overview to the design and analysis of illumination systems along with an introduction to the use of Light Tools software. The classes alternate between lectures on an illumination topic, which includes many examples, and a working lab learning skills in Light Tools. The Lecture/Labs would be complimentary so that the skills developed in using the software reinforce the topics covered in the Lectures.
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OPT 453-1
Svetlana Lukishova
W 8:00AM - 9:15AM
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NOTE: the schedule for this course will be set by the instructor after polling ALL registered students for availability (One 1 hour per week lectures and ONE 1.5 hours per week lab) This ADVANCED laboratory course is based both on quantum information and new advances in nanotechnology. As much as wireless communication has impacted daily life already, the abstract theory of quantum mechanics promises solutions to a series of problems with similar impact on the twenty-first century. Students will experimentally learn cutting-edge photon counting instrumentation and methods with applications ranging from quantum information to nanotechnology, biotechnology and medicine. Major lab topics include quantum entanglement and Bells inequalities, single-photon interference, single-emitter confocal fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, photonic bandgap materials, Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometer/photon antibunching. Photonic based quantum computing and quantum cryptography will be outlined in the course materials as possible applications of these concepts and tools. Other important quantum and nano-optics experiments and methods [for instance, Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer and its applications as well as super-resolution optical fluorescent microscopies (nanoscopy)] will be discussed on the lectures. ALL students assignments are individual. For grading students should submit an essay, deliver a 20-mins talk about all labs with submission of their PowerPoint slides, 3 lab reports, maintain their lab journals and pass through MidTerm and Final (Big) Quizzes.
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OPT 456-1
Greg Schmidt
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This is an intensive laboratory course with experiments that likely included the following: 1. Transverse and axial mode structure of a gas laser.2. Detector calibration using a blackbody.3. Production of a white light viewable transmission hologram.4. Acousto-optic modulation.5. Twyman-Green interferometry.6. Optical Fibers Laser.7. The Pockels cell as an optical modulator.8. Optical beats (heterodyning) and CATV.9. The YAG laser and second harmonic generation.10. Fourier optics and optical filtering.11. Lens Evaluation.12. Modulation Transfer Function.13. Applications and properties of pulsed dye laser.14. Holographic optical elements.15. Properties of Gaussian beams.
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OPT 461-1
James Fienup
MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
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The principles of physical optics including diffraction and propagation based on Fourier transform theory; integral formulation of electromagnetic propagation; diffraction from apertures and scattering objects; applications to optics of Fourier transform theory, sampling expansions, impulse response, propagation through optical systems, imaging and transforming, optical transfer function, optical filtering; and selected topics of current research interest. Text: Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 4th Ed.; class notes
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OPT 461-2
F 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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The principles of physical optics including diffraction and propagation based on Fourier transform theory; integral formulation of electromagnetic propagation; diffraction from apertures and scattering objects; applications to optics of Fourier transform theory, sampling expansions, impulse response, propagation through optical systems, imaging and transforming, optical transfer function, optical filtering; and selected topics of current research interest. Text: Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 4th Ed.; class notes
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OPT 463-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
TR 8:00AM - 9:30AM
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This course provides the practicing optical engineer with the basic concepts of interference, diffraction, and imaging. Each topic will be reinforced with real-world examples. The interference section will include interferometry, Fabry-Perot etalons, and multilayer thin films. The diffraction and imaging sections will include, but are not limited to, diffractive optics, continuous and discrete Fourier transforms, convolution theory, and Linear Systems.References: Hecht, Optics (4th edition); Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics; Lecture notes.
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OPT 464-1
Qiang Lin
TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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This course aims to provide students with the understanding of fundamental principles governing optical and mechanical phenomena at micro/nanoscopic scale, with focus on current research advances on device level. The following topics will be covered: Fundamental concepts of micro-/nanoscopic optical cavities and mechanical resonators; various types of typical nanophotonic and nanomechanical structures; fabrication techniques; theoretical modeling methods and tools; typical experimental configurations; physics and application of optomechanical, quantum optical, and nonlinear optical phenomena at mesoscopic scale; state-of-the-art devices and current research advances. References: primarily based on recent literature
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OPT 467-1
Robert Boyd
T 2:00PM - 4:40PM
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Fundamentals and applications of optical systems based on the nonlinear interaction of light with matter. Topics to be treated include mechanisms of optical nonlinearity, second-harmonic and sum- and difference-frequency generation, photonics and optical logic, optical self-action effects including self-focusing and optical soliton formation, optical phase conjugation, stimulated Brillouin and stimulated Raman scattering, and selection criteria of nonlinear optical materials.References: Robert W. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics, Second Edition.
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OPT 469-1
Pablo Postigo Resa
TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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This course provides up-to-date introduction to computer modeling in photonics. Topics covered include the basics of finite difference time domain (FDTD) and finite domain (FD) simulation for photonics. Special emphasis will be given to modeling in the micro and nanoscales.
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OPT 473-01
; Leon Waxer
MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
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This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of lasers, laser performance, and applications. Topics include the physics of laser operation, laser cavities, laser types and applications, performance metrics, polarization optics in lasers, and laser amplifiers.
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OPT 473-99
Leon Waxer
MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
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This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of lasers, laser performance, and applications. Topics include the physics of laser operation, laser cavities, laser types and applications, performance metrics, polarization optics in lasers, and laser amplifiers.
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OPT 479-1
Xi-Cheng Zhang
F 9:00AM - 11:40AM
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Terahertz (THz) technology and applications provides the fundamentals of free-space THz photonics for sensing, imaging and spectroscopy applications. A free-space THz-ray optoelectronic system, with diffraction-limited spatial resolution, femtosecond temporal resolution, DC-THz spectral bandwidth, and mV/cm field sensitivity, will be central to the course. We will cover the basic concepts of generation, detection and propagation of T-rays, and their applications. Students will learn most advanced THz technology. Modern methods include THz time-domain spectroscopy, optical rectification, electro-optic sampling, THz gas laser, Gunn diodes and Schottky diodes, and FTIR. Many newly developed THz systems at Rochester will be the examples used in this course. Ultrafast THz Phenomena session also covers the methods for optical measurement with short laser pulses. Short laser pulse generation, amplification, detection, and characterization will be discussed.
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OPT 486-01
Norris Sankey
R 4:50PM - 7:30PM
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In this course, the student will learn the basic frameworks and tools for developing an IP strategy for an early stage technology company that is operating in extremely uncertain and dynamic marketplaces. Early stage technology companies usually have products that are sold into new and emerging markets. Understanding the landscape of competing technologies, who owns them, and how to build an effective offensive and defensive strategy to deal with them is key to success.
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OPT 486-99
Norris Sankey
R 4:50PM - 7:30PM
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In this course, the student will learn the basic frameworks and tools for developing an IP strategy for an early stage technology company that is operating in extremely uncertain and dynamic marketplaces. Early stage technology companies usually have products that are sold into new and emerging markets. Understanding the landscape of competing technologies, who owns them, and how to build an effective offensive and defensive strategy to deal with them is key to success.
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OPT 491-01
Julie Bentley
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course is for master's students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study.
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OPT 491-02
Thomas Brown
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course is for master's students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study.
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OPT 495-1
Govind Agrawal
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-11
Wayne Knox
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-12
Todd Krauss
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-13
Greg Schmidt
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-14
Qiang Lin
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-17
William Renninger
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-18
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-19
Nick Vamivakas
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-2
Julie Bentley
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-20
Gary Wicks
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-21
David Williams
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-22
Brian Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-23
Xi-Cheng Zhang
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-24
Jake Bromage
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-25
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-4
Robert Boyd
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-5
Thomas Brown
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-6
Jaime Cardenas
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-8
Susana Marcos
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 495-9
Chunlei Guo
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 503-1
Mujdat Cetin; Kathleen DeFazio
TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
|
This course provides a broad introduction to augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems. The course involves lectures covering an overview of all aspects of the AR/VR domain, as well as individual work performed by each student aimed at providing more intensive training on various aspects of AR/VR. Topics covered in the lectures and class workshops include history, conceptual origins, and design/evaluation principles of AR/VR technologies; optics/platforms/sensors/displays; auditory perception and spatial audio; graphics and computation; data processing and machine intelligence for AR/VR; introduction to AR/VR programming tools; societal implications and ethical aspects. At the end of the course, students will have gained familiarity with the techniques, languages, and cultures of fields integral to the convergent research theme of AR/VR. This course is co-instructed by Daniel Nikolov, Mujdat Cetin, Zhiyao Duan, Chenliang Xu, and Yuhao Zhu, and it includes additional guest lectures and workshops.
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OPT 544-1
Julie Bentley
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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Complex zoom lenses and multi-mirror reflective systems are discussed detail starting with first principles. Other topics include materials for other wavelength bands, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, monte carlo analysis, ghost and stray light analysis. Students required to complete two complex group design projects.
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OPT 544-2
Julie Bentley
F 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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Complex zoom lenses and multi-mirror reflective systems are discussed detail starting with first principles. Other topics include materials for other wavelength bands, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, monte carlo analysis, ghost and stray light analysis. Students required to complete two complex group design projects.
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OPT 546-01
Jennifer Kruschwitz
M 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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This 2-credit course will be run parallel to OPT 544 – Advanced Lens Design. Students will specify,
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OPT 551-1
Joseph Eberly
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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An introduction to quantum and semiclassical radiation theory with special emphasis on resonant and near-resonant interactions between atoms and optical fields. Topics covered include field quantization, Weisskopf-Wigner and Jaynes-Cummings models, the optical Bloch equations, resonant pulse propagation, homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening, adiabatic and non-adiabatic transitions, and dressed states.
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OPT 591-01
Thomas Brown
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study.
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OPT 595-01
Govind Agrawal
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-02
Miguel Alonso
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-03
Julie Bentley
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-04
James Fienup
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-05
Robert Boyd
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-06
Thomas Brown
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-07
Jaime Cardenas
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-08
P Scott Carney
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-09
Michele Cotrufo
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-10
Chunlei Guo
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-11
Andrea Pickel
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-12
Wayne Knox
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-13
Todd Krauss
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-14
Andrew Berger
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-15
Qiang Lin
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-16
John Marciante
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-17
Susana Marcos
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-18
William Renninger
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-19
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-20
Nick Vamivakas
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-21
Gary Wicks
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-22
David Williams
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-23
Ben Miller
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-24
Xi-Cheng Zhang
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-25
Kevin Parker
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
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OPT 595-26
Jake Bromage
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-27
Michele Rucci
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-28
Jim Zavislan; P Scott Carney
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-29
Pablo Postigo Resa
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-30
Brian Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-31
Pengfei Huo
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-33
Greg Schmidt
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 595-34
Michael Giacomelli
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations.
|
OPT 596-1
Michele Cotrufo
M 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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Blank Description
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OPT 894-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
Blank Description
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OPT 895-1
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course is designed for master's degree students who have completed all required coursework but still need to finalize specific degree requirements under less than half-time enrollment.
|
OPT 897-01
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides master's students who are currently completing their final required coursework, or with special circumstances like an approved reduced courseload, with the opportunity to work full-time on their degrees. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees.
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OPT 899-01
Jennifer Kruschwitz
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides master’s students who have completed or are currently completing all course requirements with the opportunity to work full-time on their thesis. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees.
|
OPT 986V-1
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
Blank Description
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OPT 987V-1
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
Blank Description
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OPT 995-1
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course is designed for PhD students who have completed all required coursework but still need to finalize specific degree requirements under less than half-time enrollment.
|
OPT 999-01
Gary Wicks
7:00PM - 7:00PM
|
This course provides PhD students who have completed or are currently completing 90 credits of coursework and have fulfilled all degree requirements (except for the dissertation) with the opportunity to work full-time on their dissertation. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees.
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Fall 2025
Number | Title | Instructor | Time |
---|---|
Monday | |
OPT 546-01
Jennifer Kruschwitz
|
|
This 2-credit course will be run parallel to OPT 544 – Advanced Lens Design. Students will specify, |
|
OPT 596-1
Michele Cotrufo
|
|
Blank Description |
|
Monday and Wednesday | |
OPT 461-1
James Fienup
|
|
The principles of physical optics including diffraction and propagation based on Fourier transform theory; integral formulation of electromagnetic propagation; diffraction from apertures and scattering objects; applications to optics of Fourier transform theory, sampling expansions, impulse response, propagation through optical systems, imaging and transforming, optical transfer function, optical filtering; and selected topics of current research interest. Text: Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 4th Ed.; class notes |
|
OPT 473-01
; Leon Waxer
|
|
This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of lasers, laser performance, and applications. Topics include the physics of laser operation, laser cavities, laser types and applications, performance metrics, polarization optics in lasers, and laser amplifiers. |
|
OPT 473-99
Leon Waxer
|
|
This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of lasers, laser performance, and applications. Topics include the physics of laser operation, laser cavities, laser types and applications, performance metrics, polarization optics in lasers, and laser amplifiers. |
|
OPT 441-1
Dale Buralli
|
|
This course is designed to give the student a basic working knowledge of image-forming optical systems. The course is oriented towards problem solving. Material covered includes: image formation, raytracing and first-order properties of systems; magnification, F/number, and numerical aperture; stops and pupils, telecentricity vignetting; telescopes, microscopes, magnifiers, and projection systems; the Delano diagram; the eye and visual systems, field lenses; optical glasses, the chromatic aberrations, and their correction; derivation of the monochromatic wavefront aberrations and study of their effects upon the image; third order properties of systems of thin lenses; effects of stop position and lens bending; aplanatic, image centered, and pupil centered surfaces; and field flatteners.References: Smith, Modern Optical Engineering, McGraw-Hill; Lecture notes. |
|
OPT 410-01
Mujdat Cetin
|
|
This course provides a broad introduction to augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems. The course involves lectures covering an overview of all aspects of the AR/VR domain, as well as individual work performed by each student aimed at providing more intensive training on various aspects of AR/VR. Topics covered in the lectures and class workshops include history, conceptual origins, and design/evaluation principles of AR/VR technologies; optics/platforms/sensors/displays; auditory perception and spatial audio; graphics and computation; data processing and machine intelligence for AR/VR; introduction to AR/VR programming tools; societal implications and ethical aspects. At the end of the course, students will have gained familiarity with the techniques, languages, and cultures of fields integral to the convergent research theme of AR/VR. This course is co-instructed by Daniel Nikolov, Mujdat Cetin, Zhiyao Duan, Chenliang Xu, and Yuhao Zhu, and it includes additional guest lectures and workshops. |
|
OPT 544-1
Julie Bentley
|
|
Complex zoom lenses and multi-mirror reflective systems are discussed detail starting with first principles. Other topics include materials for other wavelength bands, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, monte carlo analysis, ghost and stray light analysis. Students required to complete two complex group design projects. |
|
OPT 413-01
Gonzalo Mateos Buckstein
|
|
The goal of this course is to learn how to model, analyze and simulate stochastic systems, found at the core of a number of disciplines in engineering, for example communication systems, stock options pricing and machine learning. This course is divided into five thematic blocks: Introduction, Probability review, Markov chains, Continuous-time Markov chains, and Gaussian, Markov and stationary random processes. |
|
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday | |
Tuesday | |
OPT 467-1
Robert Boyd
|
|
Fundamentals and applications of optical systems based on the nonlinear interaction of light with matter. Topics to be treated include mechanisms of optical nonlinearity, second-harmonic and sum- and difference-frequency generation, photonics and optical logic, optical self-action effects including self-focusing and optical soliton formation, optical phase conjugation, stimulated Brillouin and stimulated Raman scattering, and selection criteria of nonlinear optical materials.References: Robert W. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics, Second Edition. |
|
Tuesday and Thursday | |
OPT 463-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
|
|
This course provides the practicing optical engineer with the basic concepts of interference, diffraction, and imaging. Each topic will be reinforced with real-world examples. The interference section will include interferometry, Fabry-Perot etalons, and multilayer thin films. The diffraction and imaging sections will include, but are not limited to, diffractive optics, continuous and discrete Fourier transforms, convolution theory, and Linear Systems.References: Hecht, Optics (4th edition); Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics; Lecture notes. |
|
OPT 503-1
Mujdat Cetin; Kathleen DeFazio
|
|
This course provides a broad introduction to augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems. The course involves lectures covering an overview of all aspects of the AR/VR domain, as well as individual work performed by each student aimed at providing more intensive training on various aspects of AR/VR. Topics covered in the lectures and class workshops include history, conceptual origins, and design/evaluation principles of AR/VR technologies; optics/platforms/sensors/displays; auditory perception and spatial audio; graphics and computation; data processing and machine intelligence for AR/VR; introduction to AR/VR programming tools; societal implications and ethical aspects. At the end of the course, students will have gained familiarity with the techniques, languages, and cultures of fields integral to the convergent research theme of AR/VR. This course is co-instructed by Daniel Nikolov, Mujdat Cetin, Zhiyao Duan, Chenliang Xu, and Yuhao Zhu, and it includes additional guest lectures and workshops. |
|
OPT 411-1
William Renninger
|
|
Advanced techniques utilizing vector calculus, series expansions, contour integration, integral transforms (Fourier, Laplace and Hilbert) asymptotic estimates, and second order differential equations. |
|
OPT 464-1
Qiang Lin
|
|
This course aims to provide students with the understanding of fundamental principles governing optical and mechanical phenomena at micro/nanoscopic scale, with focus on current research advances on device level. The following topics will be covered: Fundamental concepts of micro-/nanoscopic optical cavities and mechanical resonators; various types of typical nanophotonic and nanomechanical structures; fabrication techniques; theoretical modeling methods and tools; typical experimental configurations; physics and application of optomechanical, quantum optical, and nonlinear optical phenomena at mesoscopic scale; state-of-the-art devices and current research advances. References: primarily based on recent literature |
|
OPT 425-1
Gary Wicks
|
|
The course covers the following topics: emission of thermal radiation, modeling of optical propagation (radiometry), quantifying the human perception of brightness (photometry) and of color (colorimetry), fundamentals of noise in detection systems, parameters for specifying the performance of optical detectors, and a survey of several specific types of lasers.References: Boyd, Radiometry and the Detection of Optical Radiation; Kingston, Detection of Optical and Infrared Radiation. |
|
OPT 469-1
Pablo Postigo Resa
|
|
This course provides up-to-date introduction to computer modeling in photonics. Topics covered include the basics of finite difference time domain (FDTD) and finite domain (FD) simulation for photonics. Special emphasis will be given to modeling in the micro and nanoscales. |
|
OPT 443-1
Georg Nadorff
|
|
This course covers fundamental ray optics that are necessary to understand todays simple to advanced optical systems. Included will be paraxial optics, first-order optical system design, illumination, optical glasses, chromatic effects, and an introduction to aberrations.References: Hecht, Optics (4th edition); Smith, Modern Optical Engineering; Lecture notes. |
|
OPT 446-1
Jennifer Kruschwitz
|
|
This course addresses the design, manufacture and quality control of optical interference coatings. Topics covered include: reflection and transmission at an interface; the vector diagram; the Smith Chart; properties of periodic media; design of high reflectors, bandpass filters and edge filter; use of computer programs for design analysis; production techniques; thickness monitoring; and thickness uniformity calculations. |
|
OPT 445-01
Ethan Burnham-Fay
|
|
This course focuses teaching the multidisciplinary aspects of designing complex, precise systems. In these systems, aspects from mechanics, optics, electronics, design for manufacturing/assembly, and metrology/qualification must all be considered to design, build, and demonstrate a successful precision system. The goal of this class is to develop a fundamental understanding of multidisciplinary design for designing the next generation of advanced instrumentation. |
|
OPT 449-1
Joshua Cobb
|
|
This course is intended as an overview to the design and analysis of illumination systems along with an introduction to the use of Light Tools software. The classes alternate between lectures on an illumination topic, which includes many examples, and a working lab learning skills in Light Tools. The Lecture/Labs would be complimentary so that the skills developed in using the software reinforce the topics covered in the Lectures. |
|
OPT 430-99
Jonathan Ellis
|
|
This course focuses on establishing a foundation for optical engineers to interface with mechanical engineers as part of the optical system design process. Students will learn the basics of CAD using SolidWorks to perform simple design tasks such as making lens barrels simple mounted components. Students will then learn basic optical and metal fabrication techniques, including the manner in which standard components are manufactured. After, students will focus on standard mechanical tolerancing and the difference with optical tolerancing to understand the limitations between the two. Included in this discussion are aspects of GD&T and resources for understanding different datums and mechanical drawing features. Lastly, students will learn basic concepts from mechanics, including free-body diagrams, kinematic constraints, stress, strain, and combined stress. |
|
Wednesday | |
OPT 453-1
Svetlana Lukishova
|
|
NOTE: the schedule for this course will be set by the instructor after polling ALL registered students for availability (One 1 hour per week lectures and ONE 1.5 hours per week lab) This ADVANCED laboratory course is based both on quantum information and new advances in nanotechnology. As much as wireless communication has impacted daily life already, the abstract theory of quantum mechanics promises solutions to a series of problems with similar impact on the twenty-first century. Students will experimentally learn cutting-edge photon counting instrumentation and methods with applications ranging from quantum information to nanotechnology, biotechnology and medicine. Major lab topics include quantum entanglement and Bells inequalities, single-photon interference, single-emitter confocal fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, photonic bandgap materials, Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometer/photon antibunching. Photonic based quantum computing and quantum cryptography will be outlined in the course materials as possible applications of these concepts and tools. Other important quantum and nano-optics experiments and methods [for instance, Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer and its applications as well as super-resolution optical fluorescent microscopies (nanoscopy)] will be discussed on the lectures. ALL students assignments are individual. For grading students should submit an essay, deliver a 20-mins talk about all labs with submission of their PowerPoint slides, 3 lab reports, maintain their lab journals and pass through MidTerm and Final (Big) Quizzes. |
|
OPT 426-1
Kenneth Marshall
|
|
Two credits. Part one of two Liquid Crystal Materials courses, this part discusses structure, properties and applications. Part two available in spring semester. |
|
Wednesday and Friday | |
Thursday | |
OPT 440-01
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
|
|
In the same way that the ability to generate and manipulate electrons leads to electronic devices, the ability to generate and manipulate photons leads to optics & photonics devices – the technology of the 21st century. Freeform optics is an emerging optics & photonics technology. The course will first reveal the history of freeform optics. We will next mathematically define freeform optics. Then, building on prior knowledge of optical aberration theory for rotationally symmetric systems, we will introduce Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) – the aberration theory of asymmetric systems, where originally, asymmetry due to misalignment was considered, but in this course, we will look at asymmetry due to freeform surfaces. With this foundation on the aberration theory of freeform systems, learning about freeform optics includes learning about designing freeform optical systems with the intention to successfully build them, fabricating them, testing them, and completing the full assembly and system-level test |
|
OPT 440-99
Jannick Rolland-Thompson
|
|
In the same way that the ability to generate and manipulate electrons leads to electronic devices, the ability to generate and manipulate photons leads to optics & photonics devices – the technology of the 21st century. Freeform optics is an emerging optics & photonics technology. The course will first reveal the history of freeform optics. We will next mathematically define freeform optics. Then, building on prior knowledge of optical aberration theory for rotationally symmetric systems, we will introduce Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) – the aberration theory of asymmetric systems, where originally, asymmetry due to misalignment was considered, but in this course, we will look at asymmetry due to freeform surfaces. With this foundation on the aberration theory of freeform systems, learning about freeform optics includes learning about designing freeform optical systems with the intention to successfully build them, fabricating them, testing them, and completing the full assembly and system-level test |
|
OPT 486-01
Norris Sankey
|
|
In this course, the student will learn the basic frameworks and tools for developing an IP strategy for an early stage technology company that is operating in extremely uncertain and dynamic marketplaces. Early stage technology companies usually have products that are sold into new and emerging markets. Understanding the landscape of competing technologies, who owns them, and how to build an effective offensive and defensive strategy to deal with them is key to success. |
|
OPT 486-99
Norris Sankey
|
|
In this course, the student will learn the basic frameworks and tools for developing an IP strategy for an early stage technology company that is operating in extremely uncertain and dynamic marketplaces. Early stage technology companies usually have products that are sold into new and emerging markets. Understanding the landscape of competing technologies, who owns them, and how to build an effective offensive and defensive strategy to deal with them is key to success. |
|
Friday | |
OPT 479-1
Xi-Cheng Zhang
|
|
Terahertz (THz) technology and applications provides the fundamentals of free-space THz photonics for sensing, imaging and spectroscopy applications. A free-space THz-ray optoelectronic system, with diffraction-limited spatial resolution, femtosecond temporal resolution, DC-THz spectral bandwidth, and mV/cm field sensitivity, will be central to the course. We will cover the basic concepts of generation, detection and propagation of T-rays, and their applications. Students will learn most advanced THz technology. Modern methods include THz time-domain spectroscopy, optical rectification, electro-optic sampling, THz gas laser, Gunn diodes and Schottky diodes, and FTIR. Many newly developed THz systems at Rochester will be the examples used in this course. Ultrafast THz Phenomena session also covers the methods for optical measurement with short laser pulses. Short laser pulse generation, amplification, detection, and characterization will be discussed. |
|
OPT 411-2
William Renninger
|
|
Advanced techniques utilizing vector calculus, series expansions, contour integration, integral transforms (Fourier, Laplace and Hilbert) asymptotic estimates, and second order differential equations. |
|
OPT 461-2
|
|
The principles of physical optics including diffraction and propagation based on Fourier transform theory; integral formulation of electromagnetic propagation; diffraction from apertures and scattering objects; applications to optics of Fourier transform theory, sampling expansions, impulse response, propagation through optical systems, imaging and transforming, optical transfer function, optical filtering; and selected topics of current research interest. Text: Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 4th Ed.; class notes |
|
OPT 544-2
Julie Bentley
|
|
Complex zoom lenses and multi-mirror reflective systems are discussed detail starting with first principles. Other topics include materials for other wavelength bands, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, monte carlo analysis, ghost and stray light analysis. Students required to complete two complex group design projects. |