Term Paper

As mentioned in the syllabus, 30% or so of your grade in this course will be based on a term paper on a topic of interest to you.  Please give some thought to the topic you wish to study over the next few weeks; let me know your choice by Friday, February 15.  I reserve the right to veto a choice if it seems too flaky (no laser light shows, please) or will be too difficult to get resource materials.  You will need to do some library work prior to deciding, in order to be sure there are sufficient resource materials available at either our library or via interlibrary loan, which can take up to 1 - 2 weeks at times. 

If you have something in mind let me know earlier and perhaps I can suggest materials or places to search.  If you do not have a particular burning interest, then try to narrow down your choices by

-         perusing the course web site

-         reading topics such as lasers, fiber optics, holography, spectroscopy, etc., in an encyclopedia- including technology and science encyclopedias (e.g. McGraw Hill Science and Technology)

-         consulting various data bases in the library (get help from reference desk)

-         looking at "trade magazines" such as Laser Focus, available from me

-         searching the internet (check out the Physics Home Page for some on-line data bases: www.physics.union.edu

Don't forget the possibilities of a computer search, but be aware that most of the literature will be technical.  General suggestions are to pick either a type of laser that interests you and expand on how it works and applications it has been used for or to choose an application (either one planned to be covered in class or not).  You will  need to be careful not to pick too broad or too narrow a topic.  The paper should be nominally 5 pages (word-processed- 12 point font please)  and be advised that I will treat this also as an exercise in writing so that the paper will be graded not only on the content and thought that went into it, but also on the use of English and execution of the paper.  The paper itself is due the last day of classes.  Please come and chat about your ideas for the paper.

Below are titles of papers that former students in this course have written about:

The Practice of the Corneal Sculpting

Excimer Lasers and the Treatment of Corneal Dysfunctions

Laser and Fiber Optics in Telecommunications

The Laser and Holography, and it's Practical Applications

Lasers in the Military

SDI & Lasers

Laser Applications in Holography

The use of Fiber Optics in Telecommunications

Laser Applications in Engineering

The Biophysical Aspects of Corneal Sculpting with Excimer Lasers

The Military Applications of the Nd:YAG laser

The History of Holography and its Applications

Using Lasers as "Guide-Stars"

Lidar and the Environment

The Use of Lasers in the World of Entertainment

The Compact Disk Player: How it Words and Its Advantages

The Fiber Optics Handbook for the Humanities Major

How Barcode Scanners Work

Holography

Lasers and the Strategic Defense Initiative

Lasers; Their Usage in the Medical Field of Ophthalmology

Solid-State Lasers in Medicine

Corneal Sculpting

Lasers and a Ballistic Missile Defense

Laser Technology in Modern Communications

The Nova Laser, The Development of Inertial Confinement Fusion

Videodiscs a Forgotten Future?

Whole Picture Imagery: What it is and Where it's Going

Holography

Applications of Holography

Optical Storage Devices

Laser Technology in Gynecology

Communications with Fiber Optics

The Potential Use of Lasers in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Atheroschlerosis and Certain Forms of Cancer

Laser Treatment of Cancer

Lasers and Eye Surgery