While 20th-century technology was defined by the growth of electronics, the 21st century belongs to photonics. LEDs will light households powered by photovoltaic panels and filled with displays and cameras communicating by optical fiber to distant owners wearing virtual reality glasses. Laser 3D printing will transform manufacturing. New microscopes and telescopes will peer into the depths of living cells and distant galaxies. 

Program Policies

This CU Boulder on Coursera program does not align with standard campus policies. Please refer to the Online Programs section of the catalog for more information.

Requirements

Admission to a graduate degree-seeking program in the ECEE department is not required for students pursuing the certificate. Certificate credit hours may be applied towards a full master's degree, provided the student is admitted to the electrical engineering graduate program as a degree-seeking student.

The semiconductor photonics certificate is comprised of three specializations, each of which is comprised of 3–4 individual online courses, which deliver about one month of content.

To earn a graduate certificate (9 credits), students must complete the following required specializations/courses (listed below).

Optical Engineering Specialization

ECEA 5600Optical Engineering: First Order Optical System Design1.0
ECEA 5601Optical Engineering: Optical Efficiency and Resolution1.0
ECEA 5602Optical Engineering: Design High-Performance Optical Systems1.0

Semiconductor Specialization

ECEA 5630Semiconductor Devices: Semiconductor Physics1.0
ECEA 5631Semiconductor Devices: Diode: pn junction and metal semiconductor contact1.0
ECEA 5632Semiconductor Devices: Transistor: Field Effect Transistor and Bipolar Junction Transistor1.0

Active Optical Devices Specialization

ECEA 5605Active Optical Devices: LEDs and Semiconductor Lasers1.2
ECEA 5606Active Optical Devices: Nanophotonics and Detectors1.2
ECEA 5607Active Optical Devices: Displays0.6