This practical, hands-on course will provide you with the fundamental principles in optical lens design. Participants will learn how to design various lenses from simple landscape lens to the complex triplet. The knowledge and skills achieved in this course will prepare participants for advanced level study in optical design. Topics include: review of geometric optics, image formation, paraxial ray tracing, aberration theory, analysis, manual pre-design calculation, design principles, modeling with optical design software, image evaluation such as spot diagram, Strehl ratio, MTF, etc. During the course of the class students will have access to industry standard software for optical design.

Become more expert in the design of optical lens design. This advanced, hands-on course will further your understanding and application of optical image evaluation techniques to design multi-element lens systems.Participants will learn how to construct merit functions for different types of lens systems including optimization, variable setting, and boundary constraints. The knowledge and skills achieved in this course will prepare participants for design engineering applications. Topics include: advanced optical image evaluation techniques, multi-element lens systems, merit functions, achromatic systems and designing with stock lenses.

This intermediate hands-on optical systems design course will enable participants to combine optical elements into systems. Students will use coordinate breaks to move the system optical axis using mirrors, prisms and beam splitters and off-axis designs to tilt and de-center various optical elements. Multi element systems such as interferometers, zoom lenses and scanning systems will be reviewed, along with merit functions to determine when a particular optical system meets defined performance requirements. Various performance metrics, such as MTF, RMS, PTV and others will be used.

This intermediate hands-on optical systems design course focuses on analyzing the optical system performance using geometric and diffraction-based methods. These include: focus spot size, ray fan and optical path difference diagrams, field curvature and distortion, aberrations, point spread functions and modulation transfer function. In addition, thermal analysis and how to athermalize an optical system is discussed along with tolerancing and error budgets. Finally, physical optics (laser beams) is introduced through Gaussian beam propagation, analysis, control and beam characterization.

In this course you will be introduced to the principles and use of optical components and systems. This course surveys geometrical optics covering plane surfaces, prisms, spherical surfaces, lenses, and mirrors for use in optical systems. Special topics include optical instruments; like telescopes, microscopes, beam projectors, cameras and optical measuring benches. The classes will provide a mix of lectures and hands-on laboratory experiments for those that are interested in entering fields where optics are used.

This is part 2 of the beginning course in optics and introduces the principles and nature of optical phenomenon in systems. This course surveys physical optics covering diffraction, interference and polarization as they are observed in nature and used in optical systems. Introductory and some complex concepts are reviewed both mathematically and experimentally. The classes will provide a balanced mix of lectures and hands-on laboratory experiments for those that are interested in entering fields where optics are used.

This course is intended to expose students to the basic physical and engineering principles of lasers and review different types of lasers. Topics include spontaneous and induced transitions between atomic levels, absorption and amplification, optical resonators, Gaussian beams, three and four-level lasers, mode-locked and Q-switched lasers, and specific laser systems: Nd:YAG and other solid-state lasers; He-Ne, argon-ion, carbon dioxide lasers and other gas lasers; semiconductor diode lasers; and laser applications.

This course introduces the student to the properties of light, characteristics and control of LEDs (light emitting diodes) and lasers, fabrication of optical fiber, transmission of information via light, and fiber-optic transmission networks are covered. Topics emphasize devices, system analysis and design, including internal and external laser modulation, light coupling to fiber, fiber waveguide dispersion, attenuation and scattering phenomena, connectors, couplers, splitters, amplifiers, photo detectors, and receivers for digital and analog applications. Class will analyze and design a fiber optic link.

Theory, design and demonstrations of commonly used interferometers will be presented. A commercial Fizeautype interferometer will be used to make routine metrology measurements of precision optical components. Interfero gram analysis by hand calculation will be compared with results from various freeware fringe analysis programs.

3D CAD solids modeling instruction topics include: parts, assemblies, documentation, drawings, structural weldments, photorealistic rendering, animation, simple static stress analysis, and the SolidWorks DWG editor, demonstrations of SolidWorks 2007-2008 w/Smartfeatures. The course will also cover how to use solid modeling in the context of OptoMechanical Design.

Micro and Nano positioning solutions for advanced optical systems are key to many high-tech instruments in many fields. This course provides the fundamentals for understanding these key motion control technologies as they are used in different technology fields from semiconductors to biotechnology and telecommunications.

The course will discuss ways in which vibration may affect optical performance, as well as methods and means of reducing this impact. Principal methods of vibration control, such as damping and isolation will be discussed using mathematical models and real life examples. Vibration measurements and environmental standards will be presented as applicable to optomechanical systems. State-of-the art vibration control systems will be reviewed, including pneumatic and elastomeric isolators, damping treatments and active control systems.