Overview:

The photonics program in the Electrical Engineering Department of Cal Poly began in 1985 with a lecture course in fiber optics. With the assistance of Hewlett-Packard and several other corporations, a fiber optics laboratory was introduced in 1986. Currently there are four lecture courses and two laboratory courses in fiber optics and photonic engineering. At least 100 seniors annually take either or both the fiber optics and the photonic engineering lecture courses. Of these, at least 80 take either or both of the associated laboratory courses. In addition, at least 15 senior projects and 3 master's theses are completed in fiber optics and photonics annually. The photonics courses are the most heavily subscribed elective courses in the electrical engineering program.

The photonics laboratory has improved dramatically over the last five years. We have received approximately $250,000 in cash and over $600,000 in equipment grants. In addition, the State has committed over $40,000 to the laboratory. These resources have been used to purchase equipment for three workstations used in two laboratory courses. The workstations allow the students to make fundamental measurements in fiber optics, networks, and photonics using modern equipment and techniques.

An important feature of the photonics laboratory is the extensive use of the GPIB interface between instruments and a personal computer. A majority of the experimental work involves the use of graphical programming environment to acquire data over the GPIB interface, process and display it, and then print the results on a laser printer.

Current Problems with the Laboratory:

• We have recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to purchase three optical spectrum analyzers and to develop experiments for their use in our laboratory. The grant requires equal matching funds from the state. At the time of writing our original proposal for this grant, we were not familiar with Hewlett-Packard's new HP 71451 Optical Spectrum Analyzers. It turns out that this instrument is ideally suited to our laboratory requirements, unlike any of the competition. Consequently, we did not request sufficient funds to cover the purchase of the required four instruments. Instead, we only are able to purchase two of these instruments, which we did in 1994. So at this point, we need to acquire a third optical spectrum analyzer to outfit the third workstation.
• The laboratory now has 7-year-old optical power meters which must be replaced with current fast digital ones. This instrument is a workhorse and is used in all experiments and projects in the laboratory. The laboratory is also deficient in networking equipment and in equipment operating at a wavelength of 1300 nm, that used in fiber optic networks.
• Our laser diode current sources must also be replaced with digital one which can be controlled over a GPIB bus, and thus integrated with all of the major instruments in the laboratory.

Equipment Needs:

The basic thrust of the development of the photonics lab is threefold: to accommodate student demand for the laboratory courses by adding a fourth workstation; to complete the integration of the LabView programming environment into the operation of the laboratory and to network the computers; and to upgrade existing equipment to keep up with the rapid advancements in photonics. The acquisitions listed below will contribute to a dramatic improvement in the quality of the students' laboratory experience in photonics.

Development Plan:

• Complete the terms of our current NSF ILI grant by acquiring a third Optical Spectrum Analyzer.
• Upgrade antiquated optical power meters.
• Upgrade acousto-optic experiments by acquiring detectors, optical components.
• Acquire wide bandwidth digital storage oscilloscopes.
• Acquire upgraded laser diode drivers.

Total estimated cost for these upgrades is $125K.