Instructors & Times 

Syllabus 

Schedule and Assignments 

Class Email 

Important Dates 

ECEn 555
Optoelectronic Devices
Fall 2007
 

Aaron Hawkins
Associate Professor
CB 469
(801) 422-8693
hawkins@ee.byu.edu

Jim Fraser
Lab Supervisor
(801) 422-4344
fraser@ee.byu.edu

Tao Shang
Teaching Assistant         (801) 422-5414
ts284@nm.byu.edu

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

  Hawkins Office Hour

Devotional

12:00 am

  555 Class – 490 CB

555 Class – 490 CB  

1:00 pm

Lab Section 1

Lab Section 3

Hawkins Office Hour

2:00 pm

Lab Section 1

Lab Section 3

3:00 pm

Lab Section 1 Lab Section 2

Lab Section 3 Lab Section 4

4:00 pm

Lab Section 2

Lab Section 4

5:00 pm

Lab Section 2 

Lab Section 4 

Homework assignments will be placed on the web. You should check this site regularly for updated information. Homework is due at 5:00 PM on Monday, in the box outside of Dr. Hawkins' office - 469 Clyde Building.  The solution to the homework will be posted on the web, immediately after it is due.  Because the homework solutions will be posted this way, late homework will not be accepted, no exceptions. 

Cooperative group study on the homework is encouraged, but simply copying someone else's work is unethical and will leave the student unprepared for exams. Much insight can be gained by studying with one or more groups, if you discipline yourself to find your own solutions first before comparing results. Rely on other's help only when you have exhausted all of your own ideas or have made no progress for 15 or 20 minutes. Remember, the exams will be totally your own work and constitute the greater portion of the grade. 

Some questions have answers printed in the back of your text to serve as checkpoints. Remember that you are studying to be professional engineers and will be paid to solve problems without known solutions. Not only will no one give you the answers, but you will be the expert expected to know if the solution is correct. That is why it is important to solve many of our homework problems "blind," without a published answer.

Oral Reports

Each student in ECEn555 will be involved in presenting a 10 minute oral report to the class.  Depending on the number of students registered, this report may be done in a group.  The topics for these reports are found in the Schedule and Assignments section below.  These reports will be given at the beginning of Wednesday lectures.  It is very important for them to begin on time and last NO MORE than 10 minutes.  This is intended to give you some valuable experience in technical presentation in which it is important for you to stay under an allotted time.  These reports are also to help us all understand some interesting and important topics that we will not have time to cover completely in class.  You will need to do some independent research to be able to speak intelligently about the topic including what the latest research results are. In making presentations you should use Powerpoint, overhead slides, or whatever media you would like to effectively convey your message in a timely matter (10 minutes).  Grading will be based on accuracy and how well you can motivate and explain your topic.

Midterm Exams

We will have one midterm exam. The exam will be take home so its administration will be based on the honor system.  This exam will be given out in class on
October 17 and will be due in my office on October 22 by 5 pm. 
The exam will be two hour, open book, open calculator, open note.

Final Exam

The final exam will also be take home and administered based on the honor system.  This exam will be give out in class on
December 12th and will be due in my office on December 21 by 5 pm.
The final will be a 3 hour, comprehensive, open book, open calculator, open note exam.

Laboratory - ECEn555

The lab meets at a fixed time in room 487 and is divided into four sections. Jim Fraser and Tao Shang will supervise and assist you with the lab and before each section Dr. Hawkins or Tao will conduct a briefing to explain what you will be doing and point out critical procedures. Section 1 will meet on Mondays from 1-4 pm, Section 2 on Mondays from 3-6 pm, Section 3 on Tuesdays from 1-4 pm, and Section 4 on Tuesdays from 3-6 pm, starting with the second week of the semester.  The first day of class we will divide into sections of 5 people.  This is a closed lab so it is expected that you will finish all of your work in the allotted time.  The grading for the laboratory portion of this class will include a grade for your laboratory notebook as well as two reports that you will write summarizing your work.  50% of your lab grade will be the notebook and 50% the reports.  Each person must turn in their own notebook, but each group needs to turn in only one report.  We will discuss the proper format for the lab notebooks and reports as the semester progresses.

Office Hours.

Please respect my office hours. Just as taking this class is not the only thing that you are doing this semester teaching this class is only a small part of what I do. While I desire to see you succeed in this class, constant interruptions make it difficult to accomplish my other obligations. If you have questions, please come during my office hours. If they are not accommodating, please set up an appointment with me via email.

Honor Code.

I expect you to live the honor code. Cheating of any kind will result in a failing grade in the course.

Calculators.

You will find a good scientific calculator extremely useful during your engineering career. The minimum recommended calculator must have trig, log, root, and exponential functions.

Preparation for Lectures.

Reading assignments will be given, and students are expected to come to class having completed the assigned reading. Students may be called on randomly to demonstrate their knowledge of the material by working problems on the board to assist the class in understanding the current discussion topic. The assigned reading pages for each day of lecture are listed below in the lecture schedule.

Preparation for Exams.

If you would like to do well on exams, I suggest that you do the following:
(1) Daily: Come to class prepared. Read the assignment before the lecture and try working the Drill Exercises before class.
(2) Weekly: Make sure you understand how to do every homework problem.
(3) Before the exam: Review the text and your notes and make a one page summary of all of the important formulas and ideas.
(4) Before the exam: Rework all Drill Exercises and homework problems.
(5) Night before exam: Get a good night sleep.

Preventing Sexual Harassment.

Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participants in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU's policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 378-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hour); or contact the Honor Code Office at 378-2847.

Students with Disabilities.

Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (378-2767). Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Equal Employment Office at 378-5895, D-282 ASB.

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