A REU Site is established which will expose eight undergraduate students to laser and optics research. This research area has been identified as one of the key technical growth areas of the future. Inspiration for the students, mostly women and minorities, to pursue graduates studies and research careers will result from participating in research projects within the interdisciplinary Center for Laser Studies. Examples of research projects are: (1) growth and characterization of compound semiconductor lasers, (2) growth and characterization of nonlinear hetero-barriers, (3) characterization of nonlinear, multiple quantum-well hetero materials, (4) semiconductor lasers in external cavities, (5) ultraviolet transmitting fibers, (6) multilayer thin films for bistable devices, (7) solid state lasers at 3um, (8) fiber optic systems for power by light, and (9) study of thermal transport in thin films.
