Draft build, 6 lessons. A build-method demonstration, not a finished course. Every physics claim and every LASER-TEC module link must be confirmed by the faculty subject-matter expert. The six in-person lab dates and locations are set by the instructor and the department.
Plan 15–20 hours per week across the 12-week term. Six two-week lessons, each pairing an online lesson (concepts, math, homework in RioLearn) with an in-person lab scored on a skills-demonstration rubric. Homework is worth 300 points across the course (50 per lesson); labs are worth 600 (100 per lesson); total 900. The hands-on skill carries the weight.
Lessons
▸ Official Rio Salado MNT130 syllabus (section 30649, hybrid, opens in a new tab)
Lesson 1The nature and properties of lightWeeks 1–2 · online lesson + in-person Lab 1
For the instructor. This lesson builds the vocabulary the whole course rests on, so front-load precision on units and the wavelength–frequency–energy relationships; most early errors are unit slips and confusing frequency with wavelength. Deliver the concept lecture live in the in-person session, or record it in three short segments (the electromagnetic spectrum; wave anatomy and c = λf, E = hf; light sources and the laser hazard classes) so a segment can be re-shot. Hybrid RSI: Monday kickoff announcement in RioLearn; return homework feedback before Lab 1; the in-person lab carries the substantive interaction. Seat time (~35h over two weeks): concept lecture and reading 6h; practice 5h; graded homework 4h; Lab 1 preparation 3h; in-person lab session and write-up 6h; discussion and self-check 3h; certification-aligned review 8h.
Overview
Everything in optics and lasers starts with describing light precisely. This lesson gives you the physics vocabulary and the quantities that define a light wave, energy, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, phase, and propagation, then places light on the electromagnetic spectrum, compares light sources, and introduces the laser hazard classification that drives every safety decision this term. Serves Competency 1 (describe the nature and properties of light, including laser classification) and Competency 2 (summarize the fundamentals of light, optics, and lasers).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Define and relate amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, phase, and propagation.
- Convert among wavelength, frequency, and photon energy using c = λf and E = hf, with correct units.
- Place a light source on the electromagnetic spectrum and name its band.
- Distinguish incandescent, LED, and laser sources by how they produce light.
- State the laser hazard classes and explain why classification, not power alone, drives the protocol.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~30 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 1 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- The electromagnetic spectrum and where visible, infrared, and ultraviolet sit relative to the lasers you will use.
- Wave anatomy: amplitude, wavelength (λ), frequency (f), period (T = 1/f), phase, and direction of propagation.
- The two relationships: the wave-speed relation c = λf and the photon-energy relation E = hf, and when to use each.
- Wave versus photon, and why a technician needs both pictures.
- Light sources compared: incandescent (thermal), LED (electroluminescence), laser (stimulated emission), and what makes laser light coherent and directional.
- The laser hazard classes in brief, and the core idea for Lab 1: the class, set by wavelength, power, and exposure, decides the eyewear and handling rules before you turn a laser on.
2 · Read and explore
- Primary course materials: the LASER-TEC module for this lesson, free through RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only. (Instructor: insert the exact RioLearn link; the ND license means link and attribute, never remix.)
- PhET, Bending Light and PhET, Blackbody Spectrum open · CU Boulder
- HyperPhysics, Light and Vision open reference
- Safety grounding for Lab 1: OSHA, Laser Hazards and ANSI Z136.1 standard
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Rehearse the two relationships before they are graded. Checked for effort and feedback, no points.
- In PhET Blackbody Spectrum, change the temperature and record how the peak wavelength shifts; connect it to c = λf in two sentences.
- Work five conversions both directions: wavelength in nm to frequency in Hz and photon energy in J and eV, then reverse; keep unit cancellations visible.
- Place five sources (a 632.8 nm HeNe, a 1064 nm Nd:YAG, a household LED, sunlight, a TV remote) on the spectrum and name each band.
- Self-check against the key, then bring one conversion you are unsure about to Lab 1.
◎ Formative deliverable: your five worked conversions with units shown plus the two-sentence PhET observation. Returned with feedback before the graded homework opens; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
A short problem set plus a technical explanation, submitted in RioLearn, written at the college level.
- For three lasers given by wavelength and average power, compute frequency and photon energy, showing every unit conversion.
- Place each laser on the electromagnetic spectrum and name its band.
- Predict each laser’s likely hazard class from wavelength and power, and state one safety consequence in two to three sentences of your own reasoning.
- Explain in a short paragraph why two lasers of the same power can carry different hazard classes.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computation and units | Frequency and photon energy correct for all three, conversions shown and cancelled. | Mostly correct; minor unit slips or one error. | Multiple errors, or numbers with no work. | 20 |
| Spectrum placement | All three correctly located and bands named. | One placement or band off. | Two or more incorrect. | 10 |
| Hazard-class reasoning | Class predicted from wavelength and power with a correct, specific safety consequence in the student’s words. | Class correct but consequence vague or generic. | Class incorrect or reasoning absent. | 12 |
| Technical writing | Same-power/different-class explanation accurate and clear at college level. | Mostly clear; minor inaccuracy. | Inaccurate or below college level. | 8 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use to produce this work is academic misconduct. Show your reasoning and unit work; the point is that you can do the conversions and defend the hazard call, which Lab 1 then confirms hands-on.
5 · In-person Lab 1: the optical bench and working safely with light (100 points)
Safety first, before any source is energized. Lab 1 runs under ANSI Z136.1 and the department’s laser-safety rules: approved eyewear for the source in use, no reflective jewelry or watches, beam paths at bench height and terminated in a beam block, no eye-level bending over the bench, and no source energized until the instructor has checked the setup.
Scenario. You are a new photonics technician on your first day at the bench. Before you take a single measurement, you set the station up to be safe, then characterize a light source the way a working tech does.
What you will do, step by step:
- Put on the eyewear specified for your source and confirm its optical density and wavelength rating match the source.
- Identify each component (source, mounts, rail, detector, beam block) and set the beam path at a safe fixed height with a terminating block.
- With the instructor’s go-ahead, energize the source and measure its output with the power meter or photodetector; record the reading and units.
- Observe and record two properties of the light (for example, beam divergence and an estimate of color band).
- Classify the source’s hazard class from what you measured, and state the control that class requires.
- Power down, restore the bench, and complete the lab data sheet.
What to submit: the completed lab data sheet and a short reflection connecting your measurement to the wave quantities from the lesson, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Correct eyewear, controls the beam path, never energizes without a safety check. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here means the lab does not pass, regardless of the other rows. | 20 |
| Component handling | Identifies and mounts components correctly, without contaminating surfaces. | Misidentifies, mishandles, or contaminates a surface. | 20 |
| Measurement | Valid power or intensity reading, correct units, sound technique. | Reading invalid, wrong units, or unsound technique. | 20 |
| Classification | Correct hazard class from the measured properties, names the required control. | Class or control incorrect. | 20 |
| Documentation | Data sheet complete and legible; reflection ties measurement to the lesson. | Incomplete data sheet or missing reflection. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: aligning safely, handling optics, taking a valid reading, and making the hazard call in the room cannot be produced by a model or copied from a peer. It is performed live and signed off. This is where Competencies 5 and 6 begin to be met; the online lesson prepares for it.
6 · Interaction and support
Regular and Substantive Interaction here is carried largely by the in-person Lab 1 and the instructor’s live safety check and coaching. Online, post one observation to the Lesson 1 discussion by mid-week and read peers’ posts before lab. The instructor returns homework feedback before the lab.
Lesson 2Light sources, lasers, and laser safetyWeeks 3–4 · online lesson + in-person Lab 2
For the instructor. Safety is the spine of this lesson, so teach the hazard classes before the physics if you must choose. Common pitfalls: students think power alone sets the class (wavelength and exposure matter), and they confuse Class 3R with 3B. Deliver the lecture live or record it in segments (how a laser works; laser properties; the class system and controls). Seat time (~35h over two weeks): lecture and reading 6h; practice 5h; graded homework 4h; Lab 2 prep 4h; in-person lab and write-up 6h; discussion 2h; certification-aligned safety review 8h.
Overview
A laser is not just a bright light, it is coherent, monochromatic, and directional, and that is exactly what makes it useful and hazardous. This lesson explains how a laser produces light, compares laser and non-laser sources, and builds the laser hazard classification system you will use in every remaining lab. Serves Competency 1 (laser classification) and Competency 6 (safety protocols for lasers and handling optical equipment).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Explain how stimulated emission, population inversion, a gain medium, and an optical resonator produce laser light.
- Describe the three defining laser properties: coherence, monochromaticity, and directionality.
- Compare common laser types (HeNe, diode, Nd:YAG, CO2) and non-laser sources.
- Assign the correct hazard class (1, 1M, 2, 2M, 3R, 3B, 4) from wavelength, power, and exposure.
- State the control and eyewear each class requires, and why classification drives the protocol.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~30 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 2 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- How a laser works: stimulated emission, population inversion, the gain medium, and the optical resonator.
- The three properties that set lasers apart: coherence, monochromaticity, directionality.
- Common laser types and their wavelengths, plus non-laser sources (LEDs, arc lamps) for contrast.
- The hazard classes 1 through 4, what each can do to the eye and skin, and the maximum-permissible-exposure idea.
- The hierarchy of controls: engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (eyewear).
2 · Read and explore
- The LASER-TEC laser-fundamentals module, via RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only. (Instructor: insert the exact RioLearn link.)
- OSHA, Laser Hazards and the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers standard standard
- PhET, Lasers open · CU Boulder, build a laser from atoms and see population inversion.
- HyperPhysics, Lasers open reference
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Get fluent with classification before it is graded.
- In PhET Lasers, create a population inversion and describe in two sentences what had to be true for lasing to start.
- Given a table of six lasers (wavelength, power, beam), assign each a hazard class and note the deciding factor.
- Match each class to its minimum control (from a beam block to a locked interlocked room) and its eyewear.
- Bring one classification you were unsure about to Lab 2.
◎ Formative deliverable: your six classifications with the deciding factor named, plus the PhET note. Feedback before the graded homework; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
Submitted in RioLearn, written at the college level.
- For three lasers given by wavelength and power, assign the hazard class and justify it from the deciding factors.
- For each, state the required eyewear (name the wavelength it must block) and one engineering control.
- Explain stimulated emission in your own words, in a short paragraph a new technician could follow.
- Give one real-world consequence of misclassifying a Class 3B laser as Class 2.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazard classification | All three classes correct and justified by the deciding factors. | One class off, or justification thin. | Two or more incorrect. | 16 |
| Controls and eyewear | Correct eyewear (with wavelength) and a valid engineering control for each. | Minor gap in a control or eyewear spec. | Controls missing or wrong. | 14 |
| Stimulated-emission explanation | Accurate, clear, and in the student’s own words. | Mostly accurate; a term misused. | Inaccurate or copied. | 12 |
| Consequence reasoning | Specific, correct real-world consequence. | Generic but plausible. | Absent or incorrect. | 8 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use is misconduct. Show your reasoning; the classification judgment is what you must own.
5 · In-person Lab 2: laser classes, controls, and safe handling (100 points)
Safety first, before any source is energized. Under ANSI Z136.1 and department rules: correct eyewear for the source, no reflective jewelry, beam at a fixed safe height terminated in a block, and no source energized without the instructor’s check. The instructor confirms the class of every source used.
Scenario. A cart of unlabeled and labeled sources arrives at your station. Your job is to identify what you are dealing with and set up the correct controls before anything turns on.
What you will do, step by step:
- Read each source’s label or spec sheet and assign its hazard class.
- Select eyewear whose optical density and wavelength rating match the highest-class source at your station, and confirm the rating.
- Set up the engineering controls that class requires (beam block, enclosure, warning sign, interlock as applicable).
- With the instructor’s go-ahead, energize and safely handle or align the source without breaking the controls.
- Complete the lab data sheet: class, deciding factor, eyewear, controls used.
What to submit: the data sheet and a short reflection on which source surprised you and why, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Correct eyewear, controls in place, never energizes without a check. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here fails the lab regardless of the other rows. | 20 |
| Hazard-class identification | Assigns the correct class to every source with the deciding factor. | Any source misclassified. | 20 |
| Control selection | Selects and sets up the controls each class requires. | A required control missing, under-spec, or wrong. | 20 |
| Safe handling | Handles and aligns the source without breaking a control or contaminating optics. | Unsafe handling, or a lapse not self-corrected. | 20 |
| Documentation | Data sheet complete; reflection substantive. | Data sheet or setup sheet incomplete or missing. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: classifying a real source and building the matching controls, live, is exactly the Photonics Technician Operator competency and it cannot be faked. This is where Competency 6 is met.
6 · Interaction and support
The in-person lab and the instructor’s safety coaching carry the substantive interaction. Online, post one classification question or a source you found tricky to the Lesson 2 discussion by mid-week; the instructor returns homework feedback before lab.
Lesson 3Optical handling, positioning, and component careWeeks 5–6 · online lesson + in-person Lab 3
For the instructor. This is the lesson that saves the department money: contaminated or misaligned optics are the most common avoidable failure. Pitfalls: students touch optical surfaces, over-tighten mounts, and skip the alignment sequence. Emphasize handling and cleaning discipline. Seat time (~35h): lecture and reading 5h; practice 5h; homework 4h; Lab 3 prep 4h; in-person lab and write-up 7h; discussion 2h; certification-aligned review 8h.
Overview
Optical systems live or die on how the components are handled, mounted, cleaned, and aligned. This lesson covers the common components (mirrors, lenses, beamsplitters, filters, mounts, stages, rails), the contamination that ruins them, correct cleaning and mounting procedure, and the basics of alignment and maintenance. Serves Competency 5 (safe procedures, operation, and maintenance of optical components and light sources).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Identify common optical components and the function of each.
- Handle optics without contaminating surfaces, and explain why fingerprints and dust matter.
- Clean an optical surface using the correct materials and procedure.
- Mount and position components on a rail or breadboard without stressing them.
- Carry out a basic alignment sequence and describe routine maintenance.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~30 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 3 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- The component zoo: mirrors, lenses, beamsplitters, filters, and the mounts, stages, and rails that hold them.
- Contamination and damage: skin oils, dust, solvents, and coatings you can destroy by touching.
- Correct cleaning: the right wipes, solvents, and the drag-wipe technique, and when not to clean.
- Mounting and positioning without stress or misalignment; degrees of freedom on a stage.
- A basic alignment sequence and routine maintenance and inspection.
2 · Read and explore
- The LASER-TEC optical-handling module, via RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only.
- PhET, Geometric Optics open · CU Boulder, to connect component position to where an image forms.
- HyperPhysics, Mirrors and Lenses open reference
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Rehearse the handling discipline before the lab.
- Watch the assigned cleaning demonstration, then write the drag-wipe steps in order from memory.
- Given a photo of a bench setup, flag three handling or mounting errors.
- List, for two named components, the one thing most likely to damage each.
◎ Formative deliverable: your ordered cleaning steps and three flagged errors. Feedback before the graded homework; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
Submitted in RioLearn.
- Write a correct step-by-step procedure to clean a coated mirror, naming materials and cautions.
- Given a described bench setup, identify the handling and mounting errors and state the fix for each.
- Explain in a short paragraph why a fingerprint on a high-power optic is a safety issue, not just a quality issue.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning procedure | Correct materials, correct order, cautions stated. | Mostly correct; a step or caution missing. | Unsafe or out of order. | 18 |
| Error identification and fixes | All errors found, each with a correct fix. | Most errors found. | Misses most, or wrong fixes. | 18 |
| Safety reasoning | Accurate link between contamination and a real safety risk (absorption, damage, scatter). | Plausible but general. | Absent or incorrect. | 14 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use is misconduct.
5 · In-person Lab 3: handling, mounting, cleaning, and aligning optics (100 points)
Safety first. Eyewear for any source in use, no touching optical surfaces with bare hands, approved solvents and wipes only, and no source energized without the instructor’s check.
Scenario. You receive a set of optics and a bench and must build a clean, aligned two-mirror or lens path a coworker could trust.
What you will do, step by step:
- Inspect each optic, then clean one using the correct drag-wipe procedure, without contaminating the surface.
- Mount the components on the rail or breadboard at the correct height and orientation, without over-stressing them.
- Align the path so the beam or reference lands where intended, using the stage degrees of freedom.
- Verify the alignment and document the final positions.
What to submit: the completed setup sheet (positions, alignment check) and a short reflection, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Eyewear, clean handling, approved materials, no unchecked energizing. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here fails the lab regardless. | 20 |
| Cleaning without contamination | Cleans an optic correctly, surface left uncontaminated. | Residue left, or the optic contaminated or damaged. | 20 |
| Mounting | Components mounted at correct height and orientation, unstressed. | Mismounted, stressed, or off-spec. | 20 |
| Alignment | Beam or reference lands where intended and is verified. | Not aligned, or aligned only with prompting. | 20 |
| Documentation | Setup sheet complete; reflection substantive. | Data sheet or setup sheet incomplete or missing. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: clean handling and a verified alignment are the daily work of a photonics technician, judged by the instructor at the bench. This is where Competency 5 is met.
6 · Interaction and support
The lab carries the substantive interaction. Online, post one handling or alignment question by mid-week; feedback returns before lab.
Lesson 4Geometrical optics and the mathWeeks 7–8 · online lesson + in-person Lab 4
For the instructor. This is the most math-heavy lesson and the one the MAT prerequisite exists for. Pitfalls: sign conventions on the thin-lens equation, and mixing up real and virtual images. Work several examples live. Seat time (~38h): lecture and reading 6h; practice 6h; homework 5h; Lab 4 prep 3h; in-person lab and write-up 6h; discussion 2h; certification-aligned review 10h.
Overview
When light can be treated as rays, its behavior follows a small set of laws you can compute with. This lesson covers reflection, refraction, dispersion, mirrors, and lenses, and the equations a technician uses: Snell’s law, the thin-lens equation, magnification, and the lens maker’s equation. Serves Competency 3 (mathematical computations for geometrical and wave optics) and Competency 4 (apply the laws of geometrical optics).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Apply the law of reflection and Snell’s law, including total internal reflection.
- Use the thin-lens equation and magnification to locate and size an image.
- Apply the lens maker’s equation to relate focal length to curvature and index.
- Distinguish real and virtual images and get the signs right.
- Explain dispersion and why a prism separates colors.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~35 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 4 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- Rays versus waves, and when the ray model is valid.
- Reflection and refraction: the law of reflection, Snell’s law, total internal reflection, and dispersion.
- Mirrors and lenses: focal length, the thin-lens equation, and magnification with the sign convention.
- The lens maker’s equation: focal length from surface curvature and refractive index.
- Worked examples: locate an image, then size it.
2 · Read and explore
- The LASER-TEC geometrical-optics module, via RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only.
- OpenStax, University Physics Volume 3, the geometric-optics chapters open · CC BY, for the equations and worked problems.
- PhET, Geometric Optics and PhET, Bending Light open · CU Boulder
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Build fluency with the equations before they are graded.
- In PhET Geometric Optics, move an object and predict, then check, where the image forms and whether it is real or virtual.
- Work five thin-lens problems and two Snell’s-law problems, showing the sign convention.
- Find the critical angle for one glass-to-air interface and explain what happens beyond it.
◎ Formative deliverable: your seven worked problems with signs shown plus the PhET predictions. Feedback before the graded homework; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
Submitted in RioLearn.
- Solve three thin-lens problems (locate the image, give magnification, state real or virtual), showing all work.
- Solve two Snell’s-law problems, one crossing into total internal reflection.
- Use the lens maker’s equation to find a focal length from given curvatures and index.
- Explain in a short paragraph why a diamond disperses light more than window glass.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thin-lens work | All three correct with signs and magnification. | Minor sign or arithmetic slip. | Multiple errors or no work. | 18 |
| Snell and TIR | Both correct, critical angle handled. | One error. | Both wrong or TIR misunderstood. | 14 |
| Lens maker’s equation | Correct focal length, units shown. | Minor slip. | Incorrect. | 10 |
| Dispersion explanation | Accurate, ties index-versus-wavelength to color separation. | Plausible but vague. | Incorrect. | 8 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use is misconduct. Show every step; the graded work is your reasoning.
5 · In-person Lab 4: reflection, refraction, lenses, and imaging (100 points)
Safety first. Eyewear for any source in use, controlled beam path, no unchecked energizing. Low-power sources where possible.
Scenario. You must measure a lens you are handed and prove it behaves the way the thin-lens equation predicts.
What you will do, step by step:
- Measure the focal length of a converging lens by forming a real image of a distant source.
- For two object distances, form an image, measure the image distance, and compare to the thin-lens prediction.
- Measure the magnification for one case and compare to the predicted value.
- Demonstrate refraction and total internal reflection at an interface and record the critical angle.
- Complete the lab data sheet with measured-versus-predicted values.
What to submit: the data sheet with a percent-difference comparison and a short reflection, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Eyewear, controlled beam, no unchecked energizing. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here fails the lab regardless. | 20 |
| Focal-length measurement | Valid focal length by real-image method. | Imprecise, or an invalid method or result. | 20 |
| Thin-lens verification | Measured image distances match prediction within tolerance. | Cases off, no agreement, or not attempted. | 20 |
| Refraction and TIR | Demonstrates and measures the critical angle correctly. | Incorrect, or correct only with prompting. | 20 |
| Documentation | Data sheet complete with comparison; reflection substantive. | Data sheet or setup sheet incomplete or missing. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: measuring a real lens and showing it obeys the equation, in the room, is the technician skill and cannot be produced by a model. This deepens Competencies 3 and 4.
6 · Interaction and support
The lab carries the substantive interaction. Online, post one worked-problem question by mid-week; feedback returns before lab.
Lesson 5Optical density, filters, and eye protectionWeeks 9–10 · online lesson + in-person Lab 5
For the instructor. This lesson makes eyewear selection quantitative, which is where the safety of the whole program becomes real. Pitfalls: students forget optical density is logarithmic, and they pick eyewear by shade instead of by wavelength and required OD. Seat time (~35h): lecture and reading 6h; practice 5h; homework 4h; Lab 5 prep 3h; in-person lab and write-up 7h; discussion 2h; certification-aligned review 8h.
Overview
How do you know an eyewear is strong enough? This lesson makes it quantitative: irradiance, optical density and its logarithmic definition, computing the optical density a given laser requires, filters and their transmission, and measuring with an optical photometer. Serves Competency 3 (computations), Competency 5, and Competency 6 (eye protection and safe use).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Define optical density and relate it to transmission as a base-ten logarithm.
- Compute the optical density eyewear needs from a laser’s output and the maximum permissible exposure.
- Select laser-safety eyewear by wavelength and required optical density, not by shade.
- Describe filter types and read a filter’s transmission.
- Measure transmission or irradiance with an optical photometer.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~30 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 5 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- Irradiance and why exposure, not just power, sets the risk.
- Optical density: OD = log10(1/T), and why one OD unit is a factor of ten.
- From laser output and maximum permissible exposure to the required OD, with a worked example.
- Selecting eyewear by wavelength and OD, and reading the markings.
- Filter types (absorptive, interference, neutral density) and reading transmission; the optical photometer.
2 · Read and explore
- The LASER-TEC optical-density and eye-safety module, via RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only.
- OSHA, Laser Hazards and ANSI Z136.1 on maximum permissible exposure and eyewear standard
- HyperPhysics, Optical Density and Transmission open reference
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Make the OD math automatic before the lab.
- Convert five transmission values to optical density and back, keeping the logarithm straight.
- Given three lasers and a maximum permissible exposure, compute the minimum required OD for each.
- From an eyewear spec sheet, pick the correct pair for a named laser and justify it.
◎ Formative deliverable: your OD conversions and three eyewear selections with justification. Feedback before the graded homework; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
Submitted in RioLearn.
- Compute the minimum required optical density for three lasers given their output and the maximum permissible exposure.
- Select eyewear for each from a provided spec table and justify by wavelength and OD.
- Given a filter’s transmission, compute its optical density and describe one use.
- Explain in a short paragraph why an OD 5 eyewear is not five times better than OD 1.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required-OD computation | All three correct, logarithm handled, units shown. | One slip. | Multiple errors. | 18 |
| Eyewear selection | Correct pair for each, justified by wavelength and OD. | One selection thin. | Wrong or unjustified. | 16 |
| Filter transmission and OD | Correct OD and a valid use. | Minor error. | Incorrect. | 8 |
| Logarithmic reasoning | Explains the factor-of-ten meaning correctly. | Partly correct. | Misunderstands. | 8 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use is misconduct.
5 · In-person Lab 5: optical density, filters, and selecting eye protection (100 points)
Safety first. Eyewear for the source in use, verified by OD and wavelength; no unchecked energizing. This lab is about proving your eyewear choice, so the instructor confirms it before any exposure.
Scenario. You are handed a laser and a drawer of eyewear and filters and must prove, with measurements, which eyewear is correct.
What you will do, step by step:
- Measure a filter’s transmission with the optical photometer and compute its optical density.
- Compute the OD your source requires, then confirm the candidate eyewear meets it by wavelength and OD.
- Verify with the photometer that the chosen filter or eyewear attenuates as expected.
- Record the required OD, the selected eyewear, and the measured attenuation.
What to submit: the data sheet (required OD, selection, measured attenuation) and a short reflection, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Verified eyewear by OD and wavelength, no unchecked exposure. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here fails the lab regardless. | 20 |
| Photometer measurement | Valid transmission measurement, correct technique. | Imprecise or invalid measurement. | 20 |
| OD computation | Correct required OD and filter OD from measurements. | Required or filter OD computed incorrectly. | 20 |
| Eyewear selection | Correct eyewear proven by measurement. | Wrong selection, or not proven by measurement. | 20 |
| Documentation | Data sheet complete; reflection substantive. | Data sheet or setup sheet incomplete or missing. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: proving an eyewear choice with a measurement is the safety judgment a Photonics Technician Operator is certified to make. It is done live and signed off. This is where Competencies 5 and 6 are fully met.
6 · Interaction and support
The lab carries the substantive interaction. Online, post one OD or eyewear question by mid-week; feedback returns before lab.
Lesson 6Physical (wave) opticsWeeks 11–12 · online lesson + in-person Lab 6
For the instructor. The capstone of the physics: where the wave model earns its keep. Pitfalls: students apply ray thinking to interference, and mix up the single-slit and grating conditions. Use the PhET interference sim heavily. Seat time (~38h): lecture and reading 6h; practice 6h; homework 5h; Lab 6 prep 3h; in-person lab and write-up 6h; discussion 2h; certification-aligned final review 10h.
Overview
Some effects only make sense if light is a wave. This lesson covers wavefronts and superposition, interference, diffraction, and polarization, and the math that goes with them, closing the loop back to the wave quantities from Lesson 1. Serves Competency 7 (apply the laws of wave optics) and Competency 3 (computations).
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Explain superposition and how path difference produces constructive and destructive interference.
- Apply the double-slit and diffraction-grating conditions to compute fringe or order positions.
- Describe single-slit diffraction and when it matters.
- Apply Malus’s law to polarized light through a polarizer.
- Connect interference and diffraction back to wavelength, tying the course together.
1 · Watch: concept lecture (~35 min)
▶ Lecture, recorded or delivered in person, + the Lesson 6 slide deck (opens in Google Slides, speaker notes inside):
- Wavefronts, superposition, and path difference as the source of interference.
- Double-slit interference and the fringe condition; thin-film interference in brief.
- Diffraction: single-slit minima and the diffraction-grating equation.
- Polarization and Malus’s law; polarizers and analyzers.
- Coherence, and why lasers make these effects easy to see.
2 · Read and explore
- The LASER-TEC wave-optics module, via RioLearn CC BY-NC-ND · link only.
- OpenStax, University Physics Volume 3, the interference and diffraction chapters open · CC BY
- PhET, Wave Interference open · CU Boulder
3 · Practice: formative, low-stakes
Rehearse the wave calculations before the lab.
- In PhET Wave Interference, change slit spacing and predict, then check, how the fringe spacing moves.
- Work three double-slit or grating problems for fringe or order angle.
- Compute the transmitted intensity through a polarizer at two angles using Malus’s law.
◎ Formative deliverable: your worked problems and PhET predictions. Feedback before the graded homework; no letter grade.
4 · Homework: summative (50 points)
Submitted in RioLearn.
- Solve two double-slit problems (fringe spacing or wavelength) and one diffraction-grating problem, showing work.
- Solve one single-slit minimum problem.
- Apply Malus’s law for two polarizer angles.
- Explain in a short paragraph how a diffraction measurement can be used to find a laser’s wavelength.
How it is graded:
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interference and grating | All correct, conditions applied properly. | Minor slip. | Multiple errors. | 18 |
| Diffraction | Single-slit minimum correct. | Small error. | Incorrect. | 10 |
| Malus’s law | Both intensities correct. | One error. | Incorrect. | 10 |
| Wavelength-from-diffraction reasoning | Correct, connects measurement to wavelength. | Partly correct. | Incorrect. | 12 |
| Total | 50 | |||
Academic integrity. Per Rio Salado policy, unauthorized generative-AI use is misconduct.
5 · In-person Lab 6: interference, diffraction, and polarization (100 points)
Safety first. Eyewear for the laser in use, controlled and terminated beam, no unchecked energizing. Diffracted orders travel in many directions, so account for every beam.
Scenario. Using a laser of known type, you produce interference and diffraction patterns and use them to measure a wavelength, then test polarization.
What you will do, step by step:
- Set up a diffraction grating and measure the angles of the diffracted orders.
- Use the grating equation to compute the laser’s wavelength from your angles, and compare to the known value.
- Observe a double-slit or single-slit pattern and relate the spacing to the slit geometry.
- Pass the beam through two polarizers, vary the angle, and verify Malus’s law qualitatively or with the photometer.
- Complete the data sheet with measured-versus-known wavelength.
What to submit: the data sheet with the wavelength comparison and a short reflection tying wave optics back to Lesson 1, in RioLearn.
How it is scored (skills-demonstration rubric, instructor sign-off):
| Skill demonstrated | Meets standard | Not yet | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety protocol required gate | Eyewear, controlled and accounted-for beams, no unchecked energizing. | Any safety lapse. “Not yet” here fails the lab regardless. | 20 |
| Grating measurement | Valid order angles measured. | Imprecise or invalid measurement. | 20 |
| Wavelength from diffraction | Computed wavelength matches the known value within tolerance. | No agreement with the known value. | 20 |
| Polarization | Demonstrates Malus’s law behavior correctly. | Incorrect, or qualitative when a measurement was required. | 20 |
| Documentation | Data sheet complete with comparison; reflection substantive. | Data sheet or setup sheet incomplete or missing. | 20 |
| Total | 100 | ||
◆ Why this is the real assessment: measuring a wavelength from a diffraction pattern you produced is a genuine photonics measurement, done live and signed off. It closes Competency 7 and ties the whole course back to Lesson 1.
6 · Interaction and support
The lab carries the substantive interaction. Online, post one wave-optics question by mid-week; feedback returns before lab. Point students toward the certification review as the term closes.
Course tutor (one for the whole course). A course-grounded AI study aid, a public NotebookLM loaded only with this course’s materials, can be offered once at the course level to help students review concepts and find the right reading, pending department approval under Rio Salado’s academic-integrity and AI-use policy. If offered, it is a permitted study aid only: it explains and points to sources, and never completes graded homework or stands in for an in-person lab. This is a department decision, not a default.
How the course holds together
Six two-week lessons carry all seven competencies and feed the Photonics Technician Operator certification. Each pairs an online lesson (concepts, math, homework) with an in-person lab scored on a skills-demonstration rubric where safety is a hard gate. Seat time is the credit-hour budget the Higher Learning Commission requires, so it is planned and itemized in every lesson. What is assessed, though, is demonstrated skill: success is measured by skills-mastery sign-off, homework performance, and the certification pass rate.