Optics and Photon Detection Lab

(2 Credits)

This course focuses on recent developments in infrared (IR) photodetection systems and their applications. It brings together a variety of engineering disciplines that are required for the construction of an IR detection system. Students will receive a thorough understanding of sophisticated infrared photodetectors as well as the main physical principles employed in the development of various detector types and understand fundamental performance constraints. Figures of merits of infrared detectors, characterization, and coupling of infrared radiation will be studied. Intrinsic and extrinsic silicon and germanium detectors, III-V detectors, HgCdTe detectors, quantum well & quantum dot infrared photodetectors, and Focal-Plane Arrays are some of the key technologies to be understood.