Catalog Description

Fundamentals of radiometry and photometry; detection of light using thermal and photon (photoemissive, photoconductive, and photovoltaic) methods; noise processes; blackbodies; charge transfer devices; spectroradiometry. Prerequisites: physics with calculus (PHY 223), Circuits II (EE 223)

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, students should be able to

  1. Use conservation of radiance to solve radiometry problems
  2. Convert radiometric and photometric units in photopic, mesotopic, and scotopic situations
  3. Apply Planck's law, Stefan-Boltzmann's law, and Wien's law appropriately
  4. Quantify the response and noise sources for optical detection using a thermistor or bolometer
  5. Explain the differences between photoconduction and photovoltaic detection
  6. Describe the responsivity and noise sources for unbiased and reverse-biased photodiodes
  1. Light
    • Safety
    • Radians, Steradians
    • Inverse Square Law
    • Lab: Photometer

  2. Radiometry
    • Fundamental Equation of Radiometry
    • Approximations
    • Configuration Factors
    • Lab: Radiance Invariance

  3. Photometry
    • Fundamental Equation of Photometry
    • Photometric units
    • The Eye
    • Lab: Colorimetry

  4. Optical Properties
    • Fresnel Reflection
    • absorption coefficient
    • $R$, $T$, $A$
    • Lab: Neutral Density Filters

  5. Blackbodies
    • Planck's Law
    • Stefan-Boltzmann Law
    • Color Temperature
    • Lab: Lamp Temperature

  6. Photovoltaic
    • Photovoltaic Effect
    • Responsivity and quantum efficiency
    • Noise
    • Lab: Diodes

  7. Thermal detectors
    • Thermal Effects
    • Bolometer
    • Pyroelectric
    • Lab: Thermopile

  8. Photoconduction
    • Theory
    • Noise
    • Figures of Merit
    • Lab: CdS detector

  9. Charge Transfer Devices
    • Photovoltaic Effect
    • Responsivity and quantum efficiency
    • Noise
    • Lab: Linear Array

  10. Spectroradiometer
    • Design
    • Calibration
    • Performance
    • Lab: Spectroradiometer