Upated: January 5, 2000

Overview

P360 is a 3-credit hour course in Physical Optics with a strong emphasis on measurement and the application of the principles of electromagnetism to optical systems and phenomena. Class meetings consist of:

• Two lectures per week
  • 12:20 to 1:10 p on Monday and Wednesday
  • Room: Swain West 218
  • Section 3232
• One lab per week
  • 2:30 to 4:30 p on Tuesdays
  • Room: Swain West 102
  • Section 3233

Please see the course schedule for due dates for homework and exams Your final grade will be based on the following:

Course Description

P360 Physical Optics (3 cr.) NMNS P: P331 or consent of instructor. Physical optics and electromagnetic waves based on electromagnetic theory: wave equations; phase and group velocity; dispersion; coherence, interference, diffraction, and polarization of light and of electromagnetic radiation generally; wave guides; holography; masers and lasers; introduction to optical spectroscopy.

1. Wave Motion
   1. Mathematical representation of waves
   2. Superposition
   3. Wave equation
   4. Plane, cylindrical and spherical waves
2. Electromagnetic Theory
   1. Electromagnetic Waves
   2. Radiation
   3. Light in matter
3. Propagation of Light
   1. Rayleigh scattering
   2. Reflection
   3. Refraction
   4. Fermat's principle
   5. Total internal reflection
   6. Optical properties of metals
4. Geometric Optics
   1. Lens
   2. Stops
   3. Mirrors
   4. Prisms
   5. Fiber optics
   6. Wavefront shaping
   7. Thick lenses and lens systems
   8. Ray tracing
   9. Aberrations
   10. Matrix methods and beam optics
   11. Matrix methods and beam optics
5. Optical Instruments
   1. Human eye
   2. Camera
   3. Photographic film
   4. Telescope
   5. Microscope
6. Superposition of Waves
   1. Same frequencies
   2. Different frequencies
   3. Anharmonic and periodic
7. Polarization
   1. Nature
   2. Polarizers
   3. Dichroism
   4. Birefringence
   5. Scattering and polarization
   6. Retarders
   7. Circular polariztion
   8. Optical activity
   9. Mathematical description
8. Interference
   1. Conditions for interference
   2. Young's experiment
   3. Michelson interferometer
   4. Types and localization of fringes
   5. Multiple beam interference
   6. Optical thin film
   7. Applications
9. Diffraction
   1. Fraunhofer diffraction
   2. Fresnel diffraction
   3. Fresnel zone plate
   4. Spatial and temporal coherence
10. Fourier Optics
    1. Fourier transform
    2. Optical applications
    3. Dirac delta function
    4. Convolution and correlation
11. Light Detectors
    1. Photoconductive
    2. Semionductor photodiodes
    3. Photomultipliers
    4. Charge coupled devices
12. Lasers
    1. Quantum nature of light
    2. Spontaneous and stimulated emission
    3. Population inversion
    4. Optical resonant cavities
    5. Modes of laser beam
    6. Spectral bandwidth
    7. Types of lasers
13. Holography
    1. On-axis
    2. Off-axis
    3. Reflection holography
    4. Color holography
14. Fiber Optics
    1. Construction
    2. Waveguides
    3. Types of optical fiber
    4. Optical fiber communication
15. Light and Color in Nature
    1. Shadows
    2. Clear blue sky
       1. Polariztion
       2. Bishop's ring
       3. Aureole
       4. Green flash
       5. Twinkling
       6. Mirages
       7. Airglow
    3. Water and light
       1. Color of pure water
       2. Color from suspended particles
       3. Glitter
       4. Why is foam white?
       5. Wet spot
    4. Water drops
       1. Rainbows
       2. Forward and backscatter phenomena
       3. Why are clous white?
       4. Haze, smog and smoke
    5. Ice and halos
       1. Halos
       2. Sundogs
       3. Pillars
       4. Naked eye astronomy