OPINION OF HOWARD BRODIE

EXHIBIT 5.1


July 25, 2000

EMCORE Corporation
145 Belmont Drive
Somerset, NJ 08873

Re: EMCORE Corporation
Registration Statement on Form S-3

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 the
registration of 208,050 shares of the Company's common stock (the "Common
Stock") to be sold by a Selling Shareholder 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 Common Stock. 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 the Common Stock has
been duly and validly authorized, 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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Vice President and General Counsel