The Engineering Department is seeking support from NSF-ILI for development of a program in the science and technology of optical communications. In addition to providing matching funds, Hofstra University realizes the importance of optical technology to our students and allocated $9,000 of seed money last year for this pilot program. The support sought from NSF will be used for creating a series of experiments that teach the skills and demonstrate the potential of fiber-optic communication techniques, preparing students for employment and graduate study in this critical field of telecommunications. A comprehensive plan is outlined for integrating fiber-optic communication technology into our Electrical Engineering (EE) curriculum. The subject matter which ranges from optical fiber and laser diode theory to advanced fiber-optic communication systems will be phased into the EE program as modifications of existing laboratory and lecture courses. Students will integrate materials from a broad range of courses and learn how these basic subjects impact the design of state-of-the-art communication systems. With the requested equipment, students will acquire hands-on experience in fiber-optic components (e.g., optical fibers and laser diodes), measuring equipment (e.g., optical power meter and spectrum analyzer), and recently developed technology (e.g., optical computing and photonic switching, subcarrier- multiplexing for cable TV distribution, wavelength-division multiplexing for computer networks, and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers for long-haul transmission). A student textbook and manual will be published; it will contain a theoretical background and the broad concepts relating to the specific procedures for configuring the hardware and performing observations. This project can serve as a model for other institutions wishing to begin an optical fiber communications program, or it may serve as a guide to augment their existing laboratories in this area. It is the collective, synergistic combination o f all these experiments that provides the potential for emulation at other schools.
