Overview

May 28-June 21, 2024

In 2024, the Institute of Optics will hold its 63rd annual summer school short-course series, offering a mix of one-week courses and two-and-a-half-day courses from May 28-June 21, 2024. (No weekend classes.)

View the course descriptions below and see registration and pricing to enroll.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.


2024 Course Descriptions

Alignment Intensive Optics Laboratory (Various dates)—This is a three-week, in-person lab experience that can be taken in total or broken up into separate one- or two-week sessions. All laboratory units are equivalent to OPT 454 MS HOME Laboratory (OPT 401, OPT 402, and OPT 403 in succession). Each experiment is divided up into six- or twelve-hour sessions where students will construct optical systems from individual components encompassing disciplines utilizing polarization and wave retardance, fiber lasers, acousto-optics, diffraction, second harmonic generation, photovoltaic and photoconductive detection, continuous-wave infrared lasers, interferometry, and so much more. Space is limited.

Applied Concepts (June 5-11*)—Colorimetry and vision, wave guide photonics, and more.

Fundamental Concepts (June 3-7)—Covering lenses, aberrations, principles of diffraction, optical systems, polarization, birefringence and crystal optics, and radiometry and detection.

Integrated Photonics Circuits (June 3-14*)—Targeted for students, researchers, and engineers in industry, who want to learn the fundamental aspects of integrated photonics circuits.

Introduction to Computational Imaging and Information Essentials (June 10-14)—Introduces computational imaging, a modern paradigm in imaging in which the burden of image formation is no longer borne solely by optical physics.

Laser Engineering (June 10-14)—This course introduces the fundamentals of lasers, laser performance, and applications. Topics include the physics of laser operation, laser cavities, laser types and applications, performance metrics, polarization optics in lasers, and laser amplifiers.

Modern Optical Engineering (June 10-14)—Covering optical testing and instrumentation, optical manufacturing, optical thin film coatings, diffractive optics, and glass in modern optics.

Optical System Design (June 10-14)—Introduces participants to both fundamental and advanced concepts in optical system design. Optical System Design covers image quality evaluation, aberration theory, optimization, refractive/reflective design forms, optimization techniques, stray light analysis, tolerancing, and illumination design.

Optical Thin Film Coating Technology (June 3-12*)—Covers all aspects of optical interference devices including thin-film design, digital design methods, and coating and characterization.

Optomechanical Design, Assembly, and Alignment (June 10-14)—Building optical systems requires multiple disciplines to work in harmony to achieve system performance. An optical design is good only if the lenses can be manufactured and the tolerances can be met during assembly and alignment. Mastering the skills necessary to successfully design, build, and assemble complex optical systems can take years of practical experience. This course distills these concepts some fundamental aspects melded with practical examples to give participants a general background in the field.

Ultrafast Optics and Petawatt Laser Systems (June 17-21)—This course serves as an introduction to ultrafast laser systems with an emphasis on chirped pulse amplification and the generation of ultrahigh peak powers and irradiances.


*No class on the weekend.