Course 1: Fundamentals of Light and Lasers

Course Description:
This course, developed by the National Center for Optics and Photonics Education (OP-TEC), is the first of two courses that cover basic photonics concepts. This course includes six modules. These modules are intended for "students and instructors involved in the preparation of technicians in the areas of optics, electro-optics, lasers, and photonics." Course materials can be used in an introductory course in AAS programs, as supplementary laser/electro-optics courses in photonics related fields, and in programs for retraining or updating the skills of engineering technicians. "These materials can also support dual-credit offerings for high school students in STEM career pathways." Course 2: Laser Systems and Applications is available to view separately. 

Course Contents:
Course materials include a textbook and five .zip attachments of course videos, video clips, figures, images, and widgets. Contents of the .zip attachments correspond to the six modules within the textbook.

The 361-page textbook includes the following six modules: Nature and Properties of Light, Optical Handling and Positioning, Light Sources and Laser Safety, Basic Geometrical Optics, Basic Physical Optics, and Principles of Lasers. Modules include the following sections: Preface, Features, Introduction, Prerequisites, Objectives, Scenarios, Basic Concepts, Laboratories, Workplace Scenarios, Problem Exercises and Questions, and more. 

Course 1 FLL Lab Activity Videos.zip includes 23 videos and 23 video caption files. These videos correspond to the lab activities in modules 1-6. Each video provides a demonstration of an activity. Video topics include the following: finding the speed of red light in optical grade plastic, the spectrum of colored light, polarization of light, irradiance, laser protection equipment, optical filters, interference and diffraction: single and double slits, and many more. Videos run from 02:56 to 20:17 minutes in length. Scenarist Closed Caption files (.scc) are included for each video.

Course 1 FLL Photonics Concept Tutorial Videos (6).zip includes six videos. Video topics include diffraction, metastable states and stimulated emission, refraction, laser hazard classifications, total internal reflection, and optical density. The videos run from 07:01 minutes to 27:15 minutes in length. 

Course 1 FLL eTextbook Video Clips (33).zip includes 33 short video clips and 33 video caption files. Video topics include angle measures in degrees and radians, calculating critical angle, calculating powers with a calculator, engineering notation, formulas and symbols, minimum angle of deviation and index refraction, inverse tangent, optical density and filters, Huygen's wavelets, total internal reflection, and many more. Video clips run 00:39 seconds to 6:03 minutes in length. Scenarist Closed Caption files (.scc) are included for each video. 

Course 1 Figures and Images.zip includes all of the figures and images from the textbook in PDF and PowerPoint formats. Six PDFs and six PowerPoints are included. Topics include the principles of lasers, basic physical optics, nature and properties of light, optical handling and positioning, light sources and laser safety, and basic geometrical optics. 
    
Widgets for Course 1 FLL eTextbook.zip includes 24 widgets and related files for the six course modules. Related files include a list of widgets in .xlxs format, a readme file that explains how to access the widgets, screenshots of the widgets, and a widget menu HTML file. Users can open each widget directly in a web browser from the widget menu. The following widgets are included: Nature and Properties of Light: Frequency, Wavelength, and Amplitude; Optical Handling and Positioning: Calculating with Snell's law; Light Sources and Laser Safety: Wave Addition; Basic Geometrical Optics: Diverging Lens; Basic Physical Optics: Ripple Tank; Principles of Lasers: Stimulated Emission; and many more.

Below is a list of the .zip attachments. The number of files in the attachment and the size of the attachment is included in parenthesis. 

Course 1 FLL Lab Activity Videos (23).zip (48 files, 1.01 GB)
Course 1 FLL Photonics Concept Tutorial Videos (6).zip (8 files, 429.4 MB)
Course 1 FLL eTextbook Video Clips (33).zip (68 files, 259.2 MB)
Course-1-Figures-and-Images.zip (13 files, 21.4 MB)
Widgets for Course 1 FLL eTextbook.zip (69 files, 259.2 MB)