Optical Science and Engineering

Master of Science in Optical Science and Engineering

Concentrations: Optical Science, Photonics, and Imaging Science

Current research areas: Advanced materials, atom optics, biomedical optics, fiber optics, laser physics, lithography, nanostructures, nonlinear optics, optical imaging, optical sensors, optoelectronics, photonic integrated circuits, quantum optics, spectroscopy, and ultrafast phenomena.

The OSE M.S. degree program is designed with two distinct objectives, namely to prepare a student for the industrial workforce engaged in any area of optics and photonics and to prepare a student to meet the challenges of a more advanced research career in these areas. The program has three alternate plans under which a student can begin to fulfill his or her career goals within a flexible curriculum. Plans 1 and 2b are designed to launch the student on an industrial R&D career path. In particular, through its internship credits, Plan 2b allows for private companies, national/federal laboratories, and their contractors to partner with UNM in OSE areas in mutually beneficial ways by means of either a first look at potential recruits or a more interactive career advancement of their current employees. Plan 2a is a purely course-based option.

The Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) Program is jointly administered by the Department of Physics & Astronomy (PandA) and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE). This program features an internship option under which a student can apply qualified industrial/government laboratory research along with successfully completed course work toward the degree. Under Plan I (thesis based), a minimum of 24 hours of course work and 6 hours of thesis credit is required. Under Plan II-a (nonthesis, course-based), a minimum of 33 hours of course work, including 3 hours of research seminar (PHYC 500/501), at least 2 of which must be in Optics – or individual research/problems (PHYC 552/650, or ECE 551/651) is required. Under Plan II-b (internship-based), a minimum of 33 hours of course work - including 3-6 hours of internship (PHYC/ECE 559) - is required. Successful completion of an oral M.S. comprehensive examination is required under Plans II-a and II-b.

Under all plans the graduate course work offered for the degree must include Advanced Optics I (PHYC *463 or ECE *463), Experimental Techniques of Optics (PHYC *476L or *477L), Electrodynamics (PHYC 511 or the Foundations of Engineering Electromagnetics ECE 555/Engineering Electrodynamics *ECE 561 sequence).  A concentration is required for the degree.  All details must be discussed with a graduate advisor each semester.

A. The Mandatory and Concentration Courses for the OSE M.S. Degree

Core Courses common to all Concentrations:

• Advanced Optics I (PHYC *463 or ECE *463)
• Experimental Techniques of Optics (PHYC *476L or *477L)
• Electrodynamics (PHYC 511 or the Foundation of Engineering Electromagnetics ECE 555/ Engineering Electrodynamics ECE 561 sequence)

Plus the following core courses depending on concentration:

Optical Science Concentration:

• Advanced Optics II (PHYC 554 or ECE 554)
• Laser Physics I (PHYC *464 or ECE *464)

 OR

Photonics Concentration:

• Optoelctronic Semiconductor Materials and Devices (ECE 570)
• Semiconductor (ECE *471/ECE 572 Physics sequence)

OR

Imaging Science Concentration:

• Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes (ECE 541)
• Digital Image Processing (ECE 533)

B. General Electives:

More information, including possible choices of elective courses, is available online: http://www.optics.unm.edu

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Ph.D in Optical Science and Engineering 

Concentrations:  Optical Science, Photonics, and Imaging Science

Current research areas: Ultrafast optics and photonics, laser physics and engineering, optical imaging, quantum optics, optoelectronic devices, fiber lasers and amplifiers, optical communication, optical materials, optical lithography, nonlinear optics, integrated optics, quantum computing, bio-optics, nano-photonics, and laser cooling.

An extensive selection of optics courses is available to the student considering graduate studies in Optical Science and Engineering. Considerable interaction occurs with the Center for High Technology Materials and the optical research groups at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and other organizations in Albuquerque. These facilities offer extensive opportunities for research work toward both the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Optical Science and Engineering requires a minimum of 52 semester hours of graduate work, exclusive of dissertation. Important: the total credit hours taken from the Mandatory A group and Option-based B group should be 30 credit hours. A concentration is required for the degree.

A.  Mandatory Courses for OSE Ph.D. Degree

Core Courses common to all Concentrations:

• Advanced Optics I (PHYC *463 or ECE *463)
• Experimental Techniques of Optics (PHYC *476L or *PHYC *477L)
• Electrodynamics (PHYC 511 or the Foundations of Engineering Electromagnetics ECE 555/Engineering Electrodynamics ECE 561 sequence)

For the Optical Science Concentration:

• Advanced Optics II (PHYC 554 or ECE 554)
• Laser Physics I (PHYC *464 or ECE *464)
• Methods in Theoretical Physics I (PHYC *466 or Math *466)
• Quantum Mechanics I (PHYC 521) or Semiconductor Physics (the ECE *471/Semiconductor Physics ECE 572 sequence)
• Nonlinear Optics (PHYC 568 or ECE 568)
• 3 credit hours of seminar, including one Optics seminar

For the Photonics Concentration:

• Optoelectronic Semiconductor Materials and Devices (ECE 570)
• Semiconductor Physics (the ECE *471/Semiconductor Physics ECE 572 sequence)
• 3 credit hours of seminar, including one Optics seminar

For the Imaging Science Concentration:

• Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes (ECE 541)
• Digital Image Processing (ECE 533)
• 3 credit hours of seminar, including one Optics seminar 

B. General Electives:

More information, including possible choices of elective courses, is available online: http://www.optics.unm.edu

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