PHYS 480 (Radiation and Optics) Course Information Spring 05

Objective: To gain basic knowledge in the fields of radiation and modern optics, including ray optics and wave optics, and some selected topics in lasers and nonlinear optics.

Note: This is a paired course for both up-division undergraduate (Phys 480) and graduate (Phys. 780) students. There will be different requirements for reading, home-work, and class presentations on selected topics.

Instructor: Zhigang Chen Office: Thornton Hall 526

Phone: 338-3876, Email: zchen@stars.sfsu.edu

Office hours: MF 3:00 –4:00

Meeting Time and Place: MWF 10:10 –11:00 ( TH 210)

Textbook:

Primary reference (required): Optics, 4th edition, by Hecht (Addison-Wesley, 2002),

Or Introduction to Optics, 3rd edition, by Pedrottis (Prentice-Hall, 2001)

Other references (optional):

Fundamentals of Photonics, by Saleh and Teich (John Wiley, 1991)

Optics and Lasers, 5th edition, by M. Young (Springer, 2000)

Optical Electronics in Modern Communications, 5th edition, by AmnonYariv (Oxford Univ. Press, 1997)

Prerequisites: PHYS 230 and 240 (PHYS 320 and 360 recommended)

Homework:

Homework is an important part of learning. Homework problems will be assigned weekly before the 2nd midterm exam, and will be due one week after assigned. You should work independently at first, and them you can collaborate with others. Solving problems with others will enhance your understanding and extend your retention. However, what you submit must be your own work.

Presentation:

Modern optics is a very broad and active field. You are required to give a brief oral presentation in class on a selected topic in modern optics based on your reading. The purpose of this requirement is to give you experience in independent literature research and in presenting your work to scientific or public community. (A paper associated with your presentation is encouraged, but not required.)

Grading:

Homework 20%

Presentation 20%

Midterm 25%

Final/Research Paper 35%

 

PHYS 480 Syllabus Spring 05

Week 1-2 Introduction:

A brief history of optics

(Ray optics, wave optics, wave-particle duality)

Fundamentals of light

(Light speed, polarization, coherence, etc.)

Propagation of Light

(Scattering, absorption, dispersion, diffraction, etc.)

Read: (HEC) Chap 1 & 4; (PED) Chap 1

Week 2-3 Electromagnetic Radiation

Electromagnetic waves

Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic spectrum

Light sources and Detectors

Read: (HEC) Chap 3

Week 4-5 Ray Optics

Reflection & Refraction (review)

Read: (HEC) Chap 4

Optical Instruments and Devices

Mirrors,Lenses, Prisms

Fiberoptics

Telescopes and Microscopes

Optics of Human Eyes

Read: (HEC) Chap 5 & 6; (PED) Chap 3 & 6

Week 6 Matrix Optics and Ray Tracing

Read: (PED) Chap 4

Week 7-10 Wave Optics

Wave Superposition

Read: (HEC) Chap 2, (PED) Chap 9;

Interference: Two-beam interference

Read: (HEC) Chap 9, (PED) Chap 10

Interference Fringes, Interferometry and Multibeam Interference

Read: (HEC) Chap 9, (PED) Chap 11

Diffraction: Fraunhofer Single Slit and Double Slits

Read: (HEC) Chap 10, (PED) Chap 16

Diffraction Grating and its application, Fresnel Diffraction

Read: (HEC) Chap 10, (PED) Chap 18

 

Midterm Exam

Week 10-11 Electromagnetic Optics

Polarization and Polarizers

Read: (PED) Chap 15; (HEC) Chap 8

Electromagnetic Effects

Birefringence, Waveplates, Optical Activity, etc.

Read: (HEC) Chap 8, (PED) Chap 15

 

Week 12-13 Beam Optics and Lasers

Introduction to Laser Physics

Read: (HEC) Chap 13; (PED) Chap 21

Resonators and Gaussian Beams

 

Weeks 13-16 Modern Optics (selected topics)

Holography

Read: (HEC) Chap 11, (PED) Chap 13

Guided-Wave and Fiber Optics

Read: (PED) Chap 24

Introduction to Nonlinear Optics

Read: (HEC) Chap 13, (PED) Chap 25.

Final Exam/Research Paper