PHYC 569 Topics in Ultrafast Phenomena

NOTE: This course is offered as PHYC 569,  Advanced Topics in Modern Optics

Instructor:  Prof. Mansoor Sheik-Bahae

Office:  Physics & Astronomy Rm. 1109 (North Wing)  
Phone: 277-2080, Fax: 277-1520
e-mail: msb@unm.edu
To see me in my office, please make an appointment (call or email).

Class meeting times: Tu, Th, 5:30-6:45 Physics and Astronomy, Room 184

Reference Textbooks:

  • Laser Electronics  by  J.T. Verdeyen,
  • Optical Electronics in Modern Communications by Amnon Yariv
  • Physics of Optoelectronic Devices by S. L. Chuang
  • Lasers by Milonni and Eberly
  • Photonics by Saleh and Teich
  • Theory of Optical Properties in Semiconductors   by P. K. Basu

Pre-requisites:  Advanced Optics, Laser Physics I,  (Check UNM Catalog for more details). Basic knowledge of  Quantum Mechanics is also required.

Teaching Assistant:  Chi Feng Wang

Assignments: Homework problem sets will be assigned on a regular basis throughout the semester..

Tests:   There will be one midterm exam and a final presentation.

Tentative Midterm Test Date:

Check the UNM's Office of Registrar for possible changes in the Final exam schedule.

For other deadlines see: http://www.unm.edu/~unmreg/acadcal.htm

Grading (subject to change):   The final grade is weighted as follows:
Midterms: 40%
Final Presentation and Term Paper: 40%
Homework: 20%

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Some of the topics covered in this course may vary depending on the overall students' interests and requests. 

  • Review of laser principles (1-2 lectures)
  • Semiconductor Lasers (11 lectures)
    • Review of band-theory
    • k.p theory and effective mass approximation
    • Derivation of optical transitions and gain in semiconductors
    • Optical propagation in dielectric waveguides
    • Heterojunction lasers
    • Quantum-confined structures, multiple quantum well (MQW) lasers
    • Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL)
    • Optically Pumped Semiconductors Lasers
    • Quantum-cascade lasers
  • Optical Detectors and Detection Techniques  (3 lectures)
  • Statistical Optics (2 lectures)
  • Topics in Ultrafast Phenomena (Femtosecond Metrology, Extreme Nonlinear Optics & Atto-Science) (5-6 lectures)
  • Terahertz radiation (T-rays) and applications (2-3 lectures)

Other topics may include:

  • NanoOptics, Plasmonics
  • Unstable resonators and applications
  • Maxwell-Bloch equations, coherent transient effects