LaserTech Light + Lasers OER

Program Description

Pasadena City College's Laser Technology program offers a two-year Associates in Science degree and a Certificate of Achievement in Laser Technology. The program exposes students to the scientific principles of optics, fiber-optics, and lasers. Students are instructed on the processes and equipment incorporating these devices in electronic and electro-optics systems. This training will prepare students to become technicians who work on products or devices in manufacturing, communications, defense, homeland security, medical, information technology, energy, environmental monitoring, lighting, displays, and entertainment. After the program, students will be able to pursue entry level employment as a photonics or photonics-related technician. 

Course Description

This Canvas course and open educational resource (OER), from Pasadena City College, introduces the fundamental properties of light, including its interaction with and generation from materials. Optical hardware is used in lecture demonstrations and laboratory experiments to show how light can be controlled. Essential components of optical systems are studied, including lenses, mirrors, prisms, windows, sources, detectors, optoelectronics, polarizers, fibers, and gratings. Students will gain hands-on experience with industrial hardware and tools as they construct basic optical component test setups and systems in the laboratory. Several course materials, particularly lecture slides, were created by Dr. Brian Monacelli.

Course Contents

Course materials are included in a Canvas .imscc file. The course syllabus is available to view as a sample file. The course is arranged according to the following sections: Administrivia and Resources; Waves, Reflecting, and Refracting; Power and Polarization; Sources and Colors; Midterm Exam; Instrumentation; Diffraction and Interference; Detectors; and Final Exam and Oral Presentation.

The Administrivia and Resources section is composed of presentation slides, a syllabus, a bibliography, a publication with education modules, and a student review and study guide. The presentation slides introduce students to optics, course materials, an associates degree in laser technology, and laboratory information. The syllabus is for the Fall 2021 semester and provides laboratory information, student learning outcomes, and a course outline.  The bibliography provides a list of resources on light and laser technologies. The publication provides six educational modules on the fundamentals of light and lasers. The 136-page student review and study guide provides information on scientific notation, unit conversion, and more.

The Waves, Reflecting, and Refracting section is composed of lecture slides, labs, and a YouTube video. Lecture slides explore the following topics: electromagnetic spectrum, wave-particle duality, optomechanical hardware, deviation and TIR, and reflection and refraction. The labs cover reflection and refraction and total internal reflection. Labs provide workplace scenarios, theory, hardware setup, the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis information. The YouTube video explores ultraviolet radiation. 

The Power and Polarization section is composed of lecture slides, labs, and a YouTube video. Lecture slides explore the following topics: polarization and Malus and polarization and waveplates. The labs cover Malus and polarization. Labs provide workplace scenarios, theory, hardware setup, the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis information. Lab data is also provided in Excel spreadsheets. The YouTube video explores optical rotation. 

The Sources and Colors section is composed of lecture slides, a lab, and a YouTube video. Lecture slides explore the following topics: light-matter interactions, optical sources, colors in sources, color mixing, and filters and thin films. The labs cover spectral filers and ND filters. Labs provide workplace scenarios, theory, hardware setup, the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis information. Lab data is also provided in Excel spreadsheets. The YouTube video explores the history of neon.

The Midterm Exam section is composed of a document with questions and answers for the midterm exam.

The Instrumentation section is composed of lecture slides, labs, and YouTube videos. Lecture slides explore the following topics: imaging, optical instruments, human vision, and animal vision. The labs cover imaging, scopes, and eyes. Labs provide workplace scenarios, theory, hardware setup, the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis information. Lab data on sunscreen SPF is also provided in an Excel spreadsheet. The YouTube videos explore the following topics: sunscreen in UV, UV absorption eyewear and sunscreen, UV/Vis spectrometers, raman spectroscopy, and pulse oximeters.

The Diffraction and Interference section is composed of lecture slides and labs. Lecture slides explore the following topics: diffraction and interference by wavefront division and interference by amplitude division. The labs cover diffraction and interference. They provide workplace scenarios, theory, hardware setup, the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis information.

The Detectors section is composed of lecture slides that explore optical detectors and a YouTube video about 1970s camera technology.

The Final Exam and Oral Presentation section is composed of instructions for the oral exam and the 6-page final exam, which includes various questions about optics, light, and lasers.

Below is a list of the folders, files, and links contained within the .imscc file. Content is arranged according to course section. Files are listed with their file name and size in parenthesis.

• Administrivia and Resources
  • Fundamentals of Lights and Lasers Presentation Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture00 (academic overview).pdf 1.45 MB)
  • LASR 215: Fundamentals of Light and Lasers Fall 2021 Syllabus (LaserTech Light+Lasers - PCC LASR215 syllabus 2021.docx 740 KB)
  • LaserTech Fundamentals of Light and Lasers Bibliography of Resources (LaserTech Light+Lasers - bibliography.docx 727 KB)
  • Fundamentals of Light and Lasers 3rd Edition: Modules 1-6 (Fundamentals of Light and Lasers, OP-TEC course 1, 3rd edition 2018.pdf 14.6 MB)
  • Mathematics for Photonics Education: Student Review and Study Guide (OP-TEC Math for Photonics Education.pdf 8.49 MB)
• Waves, Reflecting, and Refracting
  • Electromagnetic Spectrum Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture01 (electromagnetic spectrum).pdf 1.56 MB)
  • Wave-Particle Duality Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture02 (wave-particle duality).pdf 1.11 MB)
  • Optomechanical Hardware Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture03 (optomechanical hardware).pdf 1.22 MB)
  • Lab 01: Reflection and Refraction (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab01 (reflection+refraction).docx 1 MB)
  • Deviation and TIR Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture04 (deviation+TIR).pdf 1.79 MB)
  • Reflection and Refraction Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture05 (reflection+refraction).pdf 667 KB)
  • Lab 02: Total Internal Reflection (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab02 (TIR).docx 816 KB)
  • Video: The World of UV
• Power and Polarization
  • Polarization and Malus Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture06 (polarization,Malus).pdf 1.69 MB)
  • Lab 03: Malus (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab03 (power via Malus).docx 755 KB)
  • Lab 03: Malus Data (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab03 (power via Malus).xlsx 23 KB)
  • Polarization and Waveplates Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture07 (polarization,waveplates).pdf 967 KB)
  • Lab 04: Polarization at Brewster (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab04 (polarization@Brewster).docx 854 KB)
  • Lab 04: Polarization at Brewster Data (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab04 (polarization@Brewster).xlsx 41 KB)
  • Video: Why Sugar Always Twists Light to the Right - Optical Rotation
• Sources and Colors
  • Light-Matter Interactions Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture08 (light-matter interactions).pdf 1.98 MB)
  • Optical Sources Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture09 (optical sources).pdf 1.2 MB)
  • Lab 05: Spectral Filters (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab05 (spectral filters).docx 756 KB)
  • Colors in Sources Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture10 (colors in sources).pdf 1.42 MB)
  • Color Mixing Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture11 (color mixing).pdf 2.66 MB)
  • Filters and Thin Films Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture12 (filters and thin films).pdf 3.74 MB)
  • Lab 06: ND Filters (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab06 (ND filters).docx 756 KB)
  • Beer-Lambert Absorption Data (Beer-Lambert absorption.xlsx 42.4 KB)
  • Airy Disk Calculation Data (Airy disk calculation.xlsx 150 KB)
  • Video: Up in Lights - The History of Neon
• Midterm Exam
  • Midterm Exam (LaserTech Light+Lasers - exam midterm.docx 755 KB)
• Instrumentation
  • Imaging Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture13 (imaging).pdf 647 KB)
  • Lab 07: Imaging (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab07 (imaging).docx 758 KB)
  • Optical Instruments Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture14 (optical instruments).pdf 2.84 MB)
  • Lab 08: Scopes (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab08 (scopes).docx 758 KB)
  • Human Vision Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture15 (human vision).pdf 1.5 MB)
  • Animal Vision Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture16 (animal vision).pdf 2.22 MB)
  • Lab 09: Eye (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab09 (eye).docx 758 KB)
  • Sunscreen SPF Data (sunscreen SPF.xlsx 19 KB)
  • Video: Sunscreen in UV
  • Video: Testing UV Absorption Eyewear and Sunscreen
  • Video: Building a Nanodrop Style UV/Vis Spectrometer
  • Video: DIY Raman Spectroscopy
  • Video: Pulse Oximeters, An Amazing Use of Light
• Diffraction and Interference
  • Diffraction and Interference By Wavefront Division Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture17 (diffraction by wavefront division).pdf 2.24 MB)
  • Lab 10: Diffraction (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab10 (diffraction).docx 737 KB)
  • Interference by Amplitude Division Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture 18 (interference by amplitude division).pdf 1.04 MB)
  • Lab 11: Interference (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lab11 (interference).docx 762 KB)
• Detectors
  • Optical Detectors Lecture Slides (LaserTech Light+Lasers - lecture19 (optical detectors).pdf 1.15 MB)
  • Video: 1970's Camera Tech
• Final Exam and Oral Presentation
  • Oral Presentation
  • Final Exam (LaserTech Light+Lasers - exam final.docx 741 KB)