Optics and photonics
Overall Course Objectives
The course provides a broad introduction to both classical and modern optics and photonics. The aim is that the students obtain a physical understanding of what light is, how it interacts with matter, and how light is used in measurement techniques and information technology.
See course description in Danish
Learning Objectives
- Identify whether a ray optics, a scalar wave optics, an electromagnetic wave optics, or a photon optics description is required in a given situation
- Use ray optics to calculate images made with lenses and mirrors
- Derive the wave equation from Maxwell’s equations in a medium and understand the different solutions and their characteristic properties
- Describe the superposition principle and apply it to electromagnetic waves
- Describe the concept of interference and calculate the properties of different interferometric systems
- Explain Fourier analysis of optical waves
- Explain the concept of polarization, describe several polarization states of light and how they can be generated and transformed
- Describe and calculate the propagation of light in simple optical waveguides in terms of modes, dispersion relation and effective index
- Explain the concepts of Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction and calculate the diffraction patterns of different apertures
- Derive the Fresnel equations and describe how light is transferred at an interface of two materials, and through multilayer films
- Describe the interaction between light and matter and explain the basic principles of a laser
- Apply and recognize professional terminology in English
Course Content
The following concepts and phenomena, and some of their most important applications: Light rays, Maxwell wave equations, vector fields and polarization properties, wave diffraction, wave interference and superposition of waves, Fresnel relations, periodic media and multilayers, waveguide optics, optical resonators, light-matter interactions, laser amplification and lasers
Recommended prerequisites
10009/10013/10036/31400, not later that at the same time
Teaching Method
Lectures and problem solving
Faculty
Remarks
Please note that this course is part of the BSc in Physics and Nanotechnology.