OPINION OF HOWARD W. BRODIE, ESQ.

Exhibit 5.1

September 24, 1999

EMCORE Corporation
394 Elizabeth Avenue
Somerset, NJ 08873


Re: EMCORE Corporation
Registration Statement on Form S-3
For 2,521,361 Shares of Common Stock

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Vice President and General Counsel of EMCORE Corporation, a New
Jersey corporation (the "Company"). In that capacity, I have participated in the
preparation of, and I am familiar with the contents of the above-referenced
registration statement (the "Registration Statement"), which is concurrently
being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). The Registration Statement relates to 2,521,361
shares of the Company's Common Stock, consisting of (i) 1,030,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series I Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Shares"), (ii) 340,984 shares of the
Company's Common Stock issuable upon conversion of an outstanding subordinated
promissory note in the principal amount of $7,800,000 dated as of May 26, 1999
(the "Note Shares"), (iii) 141,255 shares of the Company's Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of outstanding warrants (the "Warrant Shares"), (iv) 629,227
shares of the Company's Common Stock issued in connection with the acquisition
of MicroOptical Devices, Inc. (the "MODE Shares") and (v) 379,895 shares of the
Company's Common Stock which were previously issued upon the exercise of
outstanding warrants (the "Restricted Shares"). The holders of these securities
are the "Selling Shareholders" as identified in the Prospectus.

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of
Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K.

I am familiar with the corporate proceedings of the Company relating to
the authorization of issuance and sale of the Preferred Shares, the Note Shares,
the Warrant Shares, the MODE Shares and the Restricted Shares. I have examined
such certificates of public officials and certificates of officers of the
Company and selling shareholders, and the originals (or copies thereof,
certified to my satisfaction) of such corporate documents and records of the
Company, and such other documents, records and papers as I have deemed relevant
in order to give the opinions hereinafter set forth. In this connection, I have
assumed the genuineness of signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to me as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents
of all documents submitted to me as certified, conformed, facsimile or
photostatic copies. In addition, I have relied, to the extent that I deem such
reliance proper, upon such certificates of public
officials and officers of the Company with respect to the accuracy of material
factual matters contained therein which were not independently established.

I do not express or purport to express any opinions with respect to laws
other than the Federal laws of the United States. As to all matters governed by
the laws of the State of New Jersey involved in my opinions set forth below, I
have relied, with your consent, upon an opinion of Dillon Bitar & Luther dated
today and addressed to me.

Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:

1. The Preferred Shares have been duly and validly authorized and when
issued following due conversion of the Series I Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock and sold by the Selling Shareholders as
contemplated in the Registration Statement and any amendments and
prospectus supplements thereto, will be validly issued, fully paid
and non-assessable.

2. The Note Shares have been duly and validly authorized and when
issued following due conversion of the subordinated promissory note
and sold by the Selling Shareholders as contemplated in the
Registration Statement and any amendments and prospectus
supplements thereto, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

3. The Warrant Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when
issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the warrants
and sold by the Selling Shareholders as contemplated in the
Registration Statement and any amendments and prospectus
supplements thereto, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

4. The MODE Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and when
sold by the Selling Shareholders as contemplated in the
Registration Statement and any amendments and prospectus
supplements thereto, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

5. The Restricted Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and
when sold by the Selling Shareholders as contemplated in the
Registration Statement and any amendments and prospectus
supplements thereto, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the use of my name under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement.


Very truly yours,

/s/ Howard W. Brodie
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Howard W. Brodie
Vice President and General Counsel