The purpose of the proposed laboratory is two-fold: 1) to enhance and enrich the content of the existing curriculum through the demonstration of physical principles by optical and laser techniques; and 2) to enable the introduction of two new laboratory courses focusing on laser fundamentals and their various applications. A well equipped laser laboratory with supporting optical equipment is being used to provide hands-on experience in many existing courses, ranging from the basic concepts of interference and diffraction in optics courses to measurements of hyperfine structure in modern physics courses. The new courses are designed to enhance the understanding of and appreciation for applied laser techniques. One course, Laser Physics was initiated earlier without laboratory support and is aimed at upper-level physics and engineering physics majors. This course is one step in the establishment of an area of specialization in electro-optics in our engineering physics program. The second proposed course is designed to provide students in science-related fields other than physics with an overview course in laser types, operating principles, and applications. The proposal includes items to equip six workstations with the optics and low power lasers for fundamental investigations. Versatile general purpose equipment and more sophisticated data gathering devices to support any work station or demonstration are requested in single quantity.
