Optics and Communication Lab

Optics and communication teaching lab was built in January 2002. It is opening to senior undergraduate students and graduate students. There are total ten experiments in the Spring semester of 2002. These experiments are divided into three parts. The first part consists of six experiments on fundamental optics. The second part includes four experiments on integrated optics. Experiments of optical communication system constitute the third part of this course. The goal of this course is to help students getting familiar with commonly optical techniques and gaining fundamental knowledge of optical communication.

This teaching lab is directed by Dr. Wang, Associate Professor of Dept. of ECE. The laboratory is equipped with five Optical Breadboards, one Optical Spectrum Analyzer, five He-Neon Lasers, an Orion Xe light source, several Semiconductor Lasers, three Fiber Launch Systems, several Gratings and other common optical instruments.

Part I: Fundamental Optics

Experiment 1: Microscope and Telescope
Objectives:
1. Learn the basic knowledge of geometric optics.
2. Examine the principle of Microscope and Telescope.
3. Demonstrate a Microscope and Telescope by two lenses.


Experiment 2: Michelson Interferometer
Objectives:
1. Understanding the wave property of light.
2. Learn the technique of how to adjust Michelson Interferometer.
3. Examine the applications of Michelson Interferometer

Experiment 3: Fourier Spatial Filter
Objectives:
1. Learn the basic concept of Fourier optics.
2. Learn how to measure grating parameters.
3. Learn how to design a spatial filter.


Experiment 4: Principle of Optical Spectrometer
Objectives:
1. Examine the function of prism in Optical Spectrometer.
2. Examine the function of grating in Optical Spectrometer.
3. Learn how to measure absorption spectrum of a sample using a commercial optical spectrometer.

Experiment 5: Holography
Objectives:
1. Learn the principle of holography.
2. Write the image into the hologram.
3. Readout the image from the hologram.


Experiment 6: Polarization of Light
1. Examine the concept of polarization of light.
2. Learn how to change direction of polarization of light using a polarizer.
3. Learn how to change circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light, and vice versa.

Part II  Integrated Optics

Experiment 7: Planar Waveguide Mode
Objectives:
1. Examine the concept of planar waveguide.
2. Learn the method of using prisms to couple light into planar waveguide.
3. Observe the modes of planar waveguide.

Experiment 8: Mode Profile Measurement
Objectives:
1. Examine the concept of channel waveguide.
2. Examine the concept of optical fiber.
3. Observe the modes of channel waveguide.
4. Observe the modes of optical fiber.
5. Learn how to use beam profiler to evaluate the modes.

Experiment 9: Grating Coupler
Objectives:
1. Examine the concept of grating.
2. Learn how to fabricate a grating coupler.
3. Learn how to couple light into planar waveguide using grating coupler.

Experiment 10: Fiber Waveguide Coupling
Objectives:
1. Learn how to couple light from fiber to waveguide.
2. Measure the coupling coefficiency.

Part III Optical Communication System

Experiment 11: Simple WDM System
Objectives:
1. Learn the concept of WDM system.
2. Demonstrate a simple WDM system.

Experiment 12: Fiber Communication Link
Objectives:
1. Build a simple fiber communication link.
2. Modulate light signal of semiconductor laser through current modulation.

Last updated on Nov 18th, 2009. Any comments, please email us.