Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Sechrist Paul F
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
04/01/2011		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
COHERENT INC [COHR]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
5100 PATRICK HENRY DR		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP Worldwide Sales & Services
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SANTA CLARA,, CA 95054		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 8,831
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 06/13/2008 06/13/2012 Common Stock 3,500 $ 32.1 D  
Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 04/15/2009 10/03/2013 Common Stock 10,000 $ 32.95 D  
Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (1) 11/17/2014 Common Stock 16,500 $ 23.16 D  
Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 11/20/2016 Common Stock 18,000 $ 26.16 D  
Restricted Stock Units 11/17/2011 11/17/2011 Common Stock 2,333 $ 0 D  
Restricted Stock Units   (3) 11/20/2012 Common Stock 6,000 $ 0 D  
Restricted Stock Units   (4) 11/03/2013 Common Stock 4,500 $ 0 D  
Restricted Stock Units   (5) 11/03/2013 Common Stock 1,000 $ 0 D  
Performance Restricted Stock Units   (6) 11/03/2013 Common Stock 9,000 $ 0 D  
Performance Restricted Stock Units   (6) 11/03/2013 Common Stock 2,000 $ 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Sechrist Paul F
5100 PATRICK HENRY DR
SANTA CLARA,, CA 95054		       EVP Worldwide Sales & Services  

Signatures

Paul F.Sechrist 04/07/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) This Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) vests over three years with one third of the grant vesting on each of the subsequent anniversaries of the grant date of 11/17/2008.
(2) This Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) vests over three years with one third of the grant vesting on each of the subsequent anniversaries of the grant date of 11/20/2009.
(3) This Restricted Stock Unit award vests 3000 shares on 11/20/2011 and 3000 shares on 11/20/2012.
(4) This Restricted Stock Unit award vests over three years with one third of the grant vesting on each of the subsequent anniversaries of the grant date of 11/30/2010.
(5) This Restricted Stock Unit award vests over three years with one third of the grant vesting on the dates 11/3/2011, 11/3/2012 and 11/3/2013.
(6) This Performance Restricted Stock Unit award vests over three years on the dates 11/3/2011, 11/3/2012 and 11/3/2013, with up to one third of the grant vesting each year based on the relative performance of the underlying stock versus the Russell 2000 Index for the 30 trading days on and prior to November 3 of each year versus the same 30 trading day period for the preceding year.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.