Optical Characterization & Measurement Facility

Applications and the range of usefulness of optical materials and devices are determined by many parameters that need to be established before the materials can be used in any device development. The primary goal of the Optical Characterization and Measurement Facility is to use dedicated analytical instruments to allow researchers to test and measure major optical properties by destructive and non-destructive methods. These properties include surface morphology, crystal structure, purity, diffusion depth, and index distribution. The facility will contain dedicated experimental stations to determine optical coefficients of material and devices including optical gain, loss, quality factors, and other optical constants. The laboratory will house instruments to measure electro-optic, magneto-optic, acousto-optic, transmission, absorption, and nonlinear factors. Such characterization will be used to evaluate and establish the limitation and usefulness of materials for optical applications and is essential for the development of any new optical devices.