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PH4034   Principles of Lasers

Academic year(s): 2023-2024

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 2

Availability restrictions: Not automatically available to General Degree students

This module presents a basic description of the main physical concepts upon which an understanding of laser materials, operations and applications can be based. The syllabus includes: basic concepts of energy-level manifolds in gain media, particularly in respect of population inversion and saturation effects; conditions for oscillator stability in laser resonator configurations and transverse and longitudinal cavity mode descriptions; single longitudinal mode operation for spectral purity and phase locking of longitudinal modes for the generation of periodic sequences of intense ultrashort pulses (i.e. laser modelocking); illustrations of line-narrowed and modelocked lasers and the origin and exploitability of intensity-induced nonlinear optical effects.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass PH3081 or pass PH3082 or ( pass MT2506 and pass MT2507 )

Anti-requisite(s): You cannot take this module if you take PH5005

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 3 lectures or tutorials.

Scheduled learning hours: 33

Guided independent study hours: 117

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 2-hour Written Examination = 90%, Coursework = 10%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 90%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 10%

Re-assessment: Oral Re-assessment, capped at grade 7

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr F E W Koenig

Additional information from school

To be confirmed