As lasers evolve from an object of basic scientific study into rugged components that are used in an ever-increasing number of real-world applications, courses that acquaint students with the basic operating principles of laser devices are becoming an important part of the engineering and physics curricula in a number of colleges and universities. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop the necessary hardware components for a one semester course on laser operating principles for advanced undergraduate and masters-level graduate students. The proposed laboratory package will take advantage of recent technical advances in diode-pumped solid state laser technology, that now make it possible to design a complete laser laboratory course based on a set of low cost components. During Phase I, the necessary components for the kit will be identified, engineered, and fabricated at Lightning Optical Corporation. Simultaneously, a set of laboratory notes outlining experiments to be performed with the Laboratory Optics Kit will be prepared. Five prototype test kits will be assembled and delivered to the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers at the University of Central Florida, where they will be tested as the basis for a one-semester laboratory course scheduled to be offered during the 1996 summer semester. The anticipated final result of this project is the marketing of a self-contained, economical laser laboratory package by Lightning Optical Corporation, complete with hardware, optics, and lab text.This project offers the prospect of the commercial introduction of a laser laboratory package consisting of optics and hardware kits and an accompanying lab text. The availability of this package should make it possible for graduate and undergraduate institutions to add a laboratory component to classroom courses on laser operating principles.
