School of Optics/CREOL
The School of Optics offers interdisciplinary graduate programs in optical science and engineering leading to Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Optics. It is one of only three graduate optics academic departments in the nation. The Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) is integrated in the school as its research arm. The School has grown to an internationally recognized institute with twenty four full time faculty members and more than one hundred graduate students with research activities covering all aspects of optics, photonics, and lasers. It is housed in a state-of-the-art 82,000-sq. ft. building dedicated to optics research and education.
The School of Optics faculty are the primary resource for the optical physics option in the M.S. and Ph.D. program in Physics and the electro-optics option in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Electrical Engineering. These two option programs are offered in partnership with academic departments. The faculty participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching in the Physics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE), and Chemistry Departments.
School Administration
Professor and Interim Director: Eric W, Van StrylandCREOL 206, (407) 823-6834.
E-mail: director@creol.ucf.edu
Professor and Associate Director for Academic Programs: M. G. “Jim” Moharam
CREOL 208, (407) 823-6833.
E-mail: moharam@creol.ucf.edu
Faculty
Michael Bass, Professor of Optics, Physics & EECSBruce Chai, Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS & MMAE
Glenn Boreman, Professor of Optics & EECS
Peter Delfyett, Professor of Optics, EECS & Physics
Luis Elias, Professor of Optics & Physics
M. G. “Jim” Moharam, Professor of Optics & EECS
Martin Richardson, Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS
George Stegeman, Cobb Family Chair and Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS
William Silfvast, Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS
M. J. Soileau, Professor of Optics, EECS & Physics & VP for Research
C. Martin Stickley, Professor of Optics & EECS
Eric Van Stryland, Professor Optics, Physics & EECS
Boris Zel’dovich, Professor of Optics & Physics
David Hagan, Associate Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS
James Harvey, Associate Professor of Optics & EECS
Guifang Li, Associate Professor of Optics, Physics & EECS
Patrick LiKamWa, Associate Professor of Optics & EECS
Aravinda Kar, Associate Professor of Optics & MMAE
Kathleen Richardson, Associate Professor of Optics, Chemistry & MMAE
Nabeel Riza, Associate Professor of Optics & EECS
Aristide Dogariu, Assistant Professor of Optics
Eric G. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Optics
Jannick Rolland, Assistant Professor of Optics, EECS & Computer Science
Research Faculty
Leonid Glebov, Associate Research Scientist
Hans Jenssen, Senior Research Scientist
Joint Appointees
Larry Andrews, Professor of Mathematics, EECS & Optic
Kevin Belfield, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Optics
Robert Peale, Associate Professor of Physics, EECS, & Optics
Ronald Phillips, Professor of EECS, Mathematics & Optics
Mubarak Shah, Professor of Computer Science & Optics
Alfonse Shulte, Associate Professor of Physics & Optics
Programs
The School of Optics offers master’s (M.S.) and doctoral (Ph.D.) degree programs in optics for qualified applicants holding undergraduate degrees in optics, engineering, physics, or closely related fields. It also offers graduate certificate programs in applied optics, lasers, and optical communications.
The program has a large offering of optics courses ranging from optical science to optical
engineering with more than twenty-five graduate courses. Thesis and dissertation research span
the spectrum from basic science to prototype development. Current research areas include: linear
and nonlinear guided-wave optics and devices, high speed photonic telecommunications, solid state
laser development, nonlinear optics, laser-induced damage, quantum-well optoelectronics, photonic
information processing, infrared systems, optical diagnostics, optical system design, image
analysis, virtual reality, medical imaging, diffractive optics, optical crystal growth and
characterization, high intensity lasers, x-ray optics, EUV sources, optical glasses, laser
materials processing, free-electron lasers, and light matter interaction. These research programs
are supported by research grants and contracts from numerous federal and state agencies and
industry.
Application Deadlines
| Fall admission | February 1* |
| Fall admission | July 15 |
| Spring admission | December 1 |
| Summer admission | April 15 |
* Applications for fellowships or assistantships received after February 1 may not be considered.
Fellowships and Research Assistantships
School of Optics/CREOL Fellowships, Litton Fellowships, Schwartz Electro-Optics Fellowship, and graduate research assistantships, as well as other university awards, are available to qualified students. The stipend ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 per calendar year. Full tuition (both resident and nonresident portions), estimated at $12,000 per year, is provided for students receiving graduate fellowships and research assistantships. Applications received after February 15 may not be considered. For more information about financial support available for graduate students, contact the School of Optics ( moharam@mail.ucf.edu or http://www.creol.ucf.edu/) and the Office of Graduate Studies (gradfaid@mail.ucf.edu or http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/).Master of Science in Optics
Program Coordinator: M. G. “Jim” MoharamCREOL 208, (407) 823-6833.
E-mail: moharam@creol.ucf.edu
The M.S. program is intended for students with a baccalaureate degree in optics, electrical engineering, physics, or closely related fields.
Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirement for the M.S. program is a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A=4.0) in the last 60 attempted semester hours of the B.S. degree. A minimum quantitative and verbal combined GRE score of 1000 is required. It is highly recommended that the applicants also take and complete the analytical section of the GRE exam. A score of 220 (computer-based test or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required if the previous degree is from a country where English is not the official language. Students with degrees in related fields may be required to take undergraduate articulation courses determined by the program coordinator on a case-by-case basis.Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Optics requires a minimum of 36 credit hours. There are no specifically required courses for the M.S. degree, and students are allowed considerable freedom in planning their study programs. However, it is strongly recommended that students include at least five courses from the Ph.D. core courses (designated below) into the program of study. A minimum of two optics graduate laboratory courses (optics courses with an “L” suffix) must be part of the program. One required optics laboratory may be waived if the student can demonstrate an equivalent hands-on laboratory experience. Up to nine credit hours of appropriate graduate courses from accredited universities may be transferred with approval from the school. Only courses with grades of “B” or better can be transferred. A maximum of three semester credit hours of 4000-level courses may be applied to the M.S. or the Ph.D. program. There are two options in the M.S. program, a thesis and a non-thesis option.Optics Courses
The following optics courses are approved to meet the optics course requirements of the program.
Recommended Core Courses
EEL 5453 Geometrical Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6443 Electro-Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6560 Laser Engineering (3 hours)
EEL 6561 Fourier Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6565 Radiation and Detection (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Optical Wave Propagation (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Interference and Diffraction (3 hours)
PHY 5431 Optical Properties of Materials (3 hours)
Electives
CHE 5XXX Optical Material Processing and Characterization Techniques (3 hours)
EEL 5441 Introduction to Wave Optics (3 hours)
EEL 5448 Fundamentals of Optoelectronic Devices (3 hours)
EEL 5450C Thin Film Optics (3 hours)
EEL 5451L Electro-Optics Laboratory (3 hours)
EEL 5563 Fiber Optics Communication (3 hours)
EEL 6446 Optical Systems Design (3 hours)
EEL 6457 Advanced Topics in Electro-Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6560L Laser Engineering Laboratory (3 hours)
EEL 6564 Statistical Optics with Applications (3 hours)
EMA 5610 Laser Materials Processing (3 hours)
OSE 5XXXL Applied Optics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX High Speed Photonics (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Solid State Lasers (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Advanced Microlithography (3 hours)
OSE 6XXXL Photonics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Photonics Signal Processing (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Optical Propagation in Inhomogeneous Media (3 hours)
PHY 5446 Laser Principles (3 hours)
PHY 5455 Modern X-Ray Science (3 hours)
PHY 6434 Nonlinear Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6435 Nonlinear Guided Wave Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6447 Quantum Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6448 Specific Laser Systems (3 hours)
PHZ 5505 Plasma Physics (3 hours)
PHZ 6204 Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy (3 hours)
Thesis Option
The thesis option program requires a minimum of six credit hours of thesis, a minimum of fifteen credit hours in approved optics courses, a minimum of six credit hours of optics laboratory courses (optics courses with an “L” suffix), and up to nine credit hours in appropriate optics, engineering and sciences relevant courses. Independent study and Directed Research credit hours are not allowed towards the degree requirements. The student must prepare an approved program of study and form a thesis committee upon completion of nine credit hours. The M.S. thesis committee consists of three members with at least two faculty members from the School of Optics. Students are required to write a thesis and pass an oral exam based primarily on the topics of the thesis and course work.Non-thesis Option
The non-thesis option program requires a minimum of 21 course credit hours in approved optics courses, a minimum of six credit hours of optics laboratory courses (optics courses with an “L” suffix), and up to nine credit hours in appropriate engineering and sciences relevant courses. Up to three credit hours of Directed Research or Independent study may be included with prior approval of the school. Students must prepare an approved program of study upon completion of nine credit hours. Students are required to pass a final oral comprehensive examination based primarily on the subject matter of the courses taken. The purpose of the exam is for the student to demonstrate his/her basic knowledge of the fundamentals of optics and photonics.
| Program | Thesis | Non-Thesis |
| Optics courses (minimum) | 15 | 21 |
| Optics laboratory (minimum) | 6 | 6 |
| Engineering/Sciences electives (maximum) | 9 | 9 |
| Research/Independent study (maximum) | 0 | 3 |
| Comprehensive exam | No | Yes |
| Thesis (minimum) | 6 | 0 |
| Total hours required (minimum) | 36 | 36 |
Doctor of Philosophy in Optics
Program Coordinator: M. G. “Jim” MoharamCREOL 208, (407) 823-6833.
E-mail: moharam@creol.ucf.edu
The Ph.D. program is intended for students with a master’s degree in optics, electrical engineering, physics, or closely related fields who wish to pursue a career in research or academia.
Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirement for the Ph.D. program is a minimum grade point average of 3. (A=4.0) in the M.S. program. A minimum combined quantitative and verbal GRE score of 1100 is required. It is highly recommended that the applicants also take and complete the analytical section of the GRE exam. A minimum score of 220 (computer-based test or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required if the previous degree is from a country where English is not the official language. Students with degrees in related fields may be required to take undergraduate articulation courses determined by the program coordinator on a case-by-case basis.Degree Requirements
The minimum requirement for the Ph.D. degree is 57 credit hours of approved graduate course work in optics and optics-related fields and 15 credit hours of dissertation. The 57 credit hours of course work must include a minimum of 30 credit hours in approved optics courses, a minimum of six credit hours in optics laboratory courses (optics courses with an “L” suffix), and up to 21 credit hours in appropriate engineering and sciences electives. At least six credit hours must be outside the major. One required optics laboratory may be waived if the student can demonstrate an equivalent hands-on laboratory experience. A maximum of 12 credit hours of combined Independent Study and Directed Research credit hours are allowed in the program of study but they may not be applied toward the optics course requirements. Up to 36 semester credit hours of appropriate graduate courses in the M.S. program from accredited universities may be transferred with approval from the school. Only courses with grades of “B” or better can be transferred.Students are required to pass a Candidacy Examination, form a dissertation committee, and submit an approved program of study typically by the end of the second academic year in the program before being admitted to full doctoral status.
The Ph.D. core courses are not required, but they have been designed to include a significant portion of the material upon which the Candidacy Examination is based. Consequently, students are strongly encouraged to include most of these courses in their programs of study.
| Program | Credit Hours |
| Optics courses (minimum) | 30 |
| Optics laboratory (minimum) | 6 |
| Engineering/Sciences electives (maximum) | 21 |
| Research/Independent study (maximum) | 12 |
| Dissertation (minimum) | 15 |
| Total hours required (minimum) | 75 |
Optics Courses
The following optics courses are approved to meet the optics course requirements of the program.
Recommended Core Courses
EEL 5453 Geometrical Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6443 Electro-Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6560 Laser Engineering (3 hours)
EEL 6561 Fourier Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6565 Radiation and Detection (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Optical Wave Propagation (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Interference and Diffraction (3 hours)
PHY 5431 Optical Properties of Materials (3 hours)
Electives
CHE 5XXX Optical Material Processing and Characterization Techniques (3 hours)
EEL 5441 Introduction to Wave Optics (3 hours)
EEL 5448 Fundamentals of Optoelectronic Devices (3 hours)
EEL 5450C Thin Film Optics (3 hours)
EEL 5451L Electro-Optics Laboratory (3 hours)
EEL 5563 Fiber Optics Communication (3 hours)
EEL 6446 Optical Systems Design (3 hours)
EEL 6457 Advanced Topics in Electro-Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6560L Laser Engineering Laboratory (3 hours)
EEL 6564 Statistical Optics with Applications (3 hours)
EMA 5610 Laser Materials Processing (3 hours)
OSE 5XXXL Applied Optics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX High Speed Photonics (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Solid State Lasers (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Advanced Microlithography (3 hours)
OSE 6XXXL Photonics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Photonics Signal Processing (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Optical Propagation in Inhomogeneous Media (3 hours)
PHY 5446 Laser Principles (3 hours)
PHY 5455 Modern X-Ray Science (3 hours)
PHY 6434 Nonlinear Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6435 Nonlinear Guided Wave Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6447 Quantum Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6448 Specific Laser Systems (3 hours)
PHZ 5505 Plasma Physics (3 hours)
PHZ 6204 Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy (3 hours)
Candidacy Exam
Students are required to successfully complete the Candidacy Examination before admission to full doctoral status. The purpose of the candidacy examination is for the student to demonstrate mastery of the fundamental of optics, photonics, and lasers and their readiness for the Ph.D. program. The candidacy examination is held once a year at the beginning of the summer semester and is taken when the student accumulates approximately 48 credit hours of approved course work. Students not passing the candidacy examination in two attempts will not continue in the program. Students must pass the Candidacy Examination before registering for dissertation hours (OSE 7980).The examination is administered by the doctoral examination committee, which consists of several faculty members representing the appropriate disciplines, appointed, by the Director or his/her designee. The committee’s duties include the preparation and grading of the examination material, and administering the oral examination. The committee may solicit input from other interested faculty. The student may invite a faculty mentor to attend the oral exam as a non-voting participant. The examining committee will formulate its decision based on its judgment of the student’s performance in the written and oral examinations, and other relevant information.
The candidacy exam consists of two sections: a closed book written examination and an oral examination. The written exam is a six-hour (over two days) closed book written exam in the general area of interference, diffraction, coherence, geometrical optics, radiation and detection, optical properties of materials, Fourier optics, lasers, electro-optics, interaction of light with matter, electromagnetic foundations of optics and other fundamental aspects of optics and photonics. The oral exam of up to approximately 2 hours is administered to students who pass the written section of the examination. The examination is administered by the doctoral examination committee, which consists of several faculty members representing the appropriate disciplines appointed by the Director or his/her designee.
Dissertation Proposal Examination
Within one year after passing the general candidacy examination and after the student has begun research, the student will write a dissertation proposal and defend it in an oral examination. The proposal must include the research performed to-date and the research planned to complete the dissertation. The dissertation advisory committee will examine the student on the submitted proposal and the general research area. The committee, which consists of three faculty members from the School of Optics and one faculty member from outside the School, must be approved by the Director or designee.Dissertation Defense
The student must prepare a written dissertation describing the student’s research. The dissertation oral defense examination is administered by the student’s Ph.D. dissertation advisory committee.Graduate Certificates in Optics
The program is developed to address the needs of two groups: working professionals and science and engineering graduate students. Th program is designed for working professionals who need to maintain and update their knowledge and technical skills in one or more areas of optics and photonics in a relatively short period of time. Traditional MS programs tend to be broader and take much more time. In addition, the program offers science and engineering graduate students the opportunity to round out their education and better prepare them for an ever-changing technology-based society by enhancing their employment credentials. The graduate optics certificate programs provide focused specialized fundamental and state-of-the-art knowledge of new developments in optics and photonics that will enable the next generation information, manufacturing, medical, and aerospace technologies.Three graduate certificate programs in Optical Communications, Applied Optics, and Lasers are available. The certificate formally recognizes an individual’s successful completion of approved optical science and engineering courses. Three distinct certificates are offered to address the diversity of career paths available within the optics and photonics field. Each certificate program can be completed in one year or less.
Admission
Applicants must have an undergraduate or graduate degree in the sciences and/or engineering from an accredited institution and must have successfully completed undergraduate courses in modern physics, electricity and magnetism, and wave motion. Applicants should complete a Nondegree Application (available at http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/) indicating the specific certificate program and provide an official transcript showing an earned bachelor’s degree or master’s degree.Program Requirements
Each certificate program requires satisfactory completion of 12 semester credit hours. Nine credit hours (three courses) must be from the courses designated for the specific certificate and three hours (one course) in an elective from approved graduate optics courses.Certificate in Optical Communications
This certificate is designed to give the student a firm theoretical and practical working knowledge in the area of fiber optics and photonic technologies and applications. The main purpose is to couch these fundamentals in a context that serves as the backbone for device, components and sub-system development for use in high-speed optical data and information links and networks. At the end of the program the student will be expected to: 1) understand the fundamental operation characteristics of high speed optoelectronic components, such as laser transmitters, photodetectors and receivers, and light modulators, 2) understand the technology and performance trade-offs between optical wavelength division multiplexing and optical time division multiplexing, and 3) have a hands-on working knowledge of the use of fiber optic test equipment, such as optical time domain reflectometers, optical spectrum analyzers, and optical bit error testing equipment.
Required Courses—12 Semester Hours
Select three courses from this list and one approved elective
EEL 5446 Optoelectronics (3 hours)
EEL 5563 Fiber Optic Communications (3 hours)
EEL 6443 Electro-Optics (3 hours)
OSE 6XXXL Photonics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX High Speed Photonics (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Photonic Signal Processing (3 hours)
Certificate in Applied Optics
This certificate program concentrates on the fundamental coursework pertinent to the engineering and design aspects of modern optical devices and systems. These areas include optical layout and design, image quality, flux transfer, detection, coherence and diffraction, interferormetry, and Fourier methods. The applied optics certificate program will allow persons with an engineering or science background to familiarize themselves with optical systems, and they will be trained in designing practical optical systems, using the design tools that are widely used in industry today.
Required Courses—12 Semester Hours
Select three courses from this list and one approved elective
EEL 6446 Optical System Design (3 hours)
EEL 6561 Fourier Optics (3 hours)
EEL 6565 Radiometry and Detection (3 hours)
OSE 5XXXL Applied Optics Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Interference and Diffraction (3 hours)
OSE 6XXXL Photonics Laboratory (3 hours)
Certificate in Lasers
This program is designed to give the student a firm theoretical and practical working knowledge of laser fundamentals and applications. At the end of the program the student will be expected to have the ability to: 1) design laser resonators, 2) understand the fundamental principles involved in optical amplification and laser action, 3) possess the experimental skills to design and build a working solid state laser system, and 4) have the ability to determine the optimum laser required for a specific application; considering issues regarding efficiency, energy extraction, wavelength, spectral purity etc.
Required Courses—12 Semester Hours
Select three courses from this list and one approved elective
EEL 6560 Laser Engineering (3 hours)
EEL 6560L Laser Engineering Laboratory (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX Solid State Lasers (3 hours)
OSE 6XXX High Speed Photonics (3 hours)
PHY 5446 Laser Principles (3 hours)
PHY 6448 Specific Laser Systems (3 hours)
Approved Electives for the Certificate Programs
EEL 5453 Geometrical Optics (3 hours)MEA 5610 Laser Materials Processing (3 hours)
OSE 5XXX Optical Wave Propagation (3 hours)
PHY 5431 Optical Properties of Materials (3 hours)
PHY 5455 Modern X-Ray Science (3 hours)
PHY 6434 Nonlinear Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6435 Nonlinear Guided Wave Optics (3 hours)
PHY 6447 Quantum Optics (3 hours)
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