Introduction to Optics

Timetable

• the total duration of a course is 45h
• the course consists of: (1) lecture 30h, (2) calculus classes 15h, (3) laboratory classes 15h
• examination: (1) lecture: answering questions in a written form (2) calculus classes: presentation of solutions to selected calculus problems in a written form (3) laboratory classes: performing 4 experiments completed with analysis of measurement data and preparation of short lab reports   

Module aim (aims)

• the aim of this course is to familiarize students with basic knowledge in the field of wave and geometrical optics as well as experimental verification of simple optical phenomena by course attendants

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

• general knowledge of physics at high school level
• general knowledge of mathematics at high school level
• basic knowledge of differential and integral calculus

Syllabus

The course is based on Optics by Hecht. The following topics will be presented within the Lecture:
 (1) one-dimensional waves, harmonic waves, phase and phase velocity, superposition principle,
    phasors, plane waves, 3-dimensional differential wave equation (spherical waves and cylindrical waves) 

(2) basic laws of electromagnetic theory, energy and momentum of electromagnetic waves, radiation, electromagnetic-photon spectrum
(3) propagation of light, reflection and refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, Fermat's principle

(4) geometrical optics: parallel plane plates, prisms, lenses (thin and thick), stops, mirrors, optical aberrations
(5) superposition of waves (of the same and different frequency), aharmonic periodic waves, nonperiodic waves
(6) polarization of light, polarizers, dichroism, birefringence, polarization by scattering, polarization by reflection, retarders, circular polarizers, polarization of polychromatic light, induced optical effects, liquid crystals
(7) interference, conditions for interference, wavefront-splitting interferometers and amplitude-splitting interferometers, types and localization of interference fringes, multiple-beam interference, applications of interferometry
(8) diffraction, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction, Kirchhoff’s scalar diffraction theory, boundary diffraction waves
(9) Fourier optics, Fourier transform and its applications
(10) basics of coherence theory, fringes and coherence, visibility
(11) lasers and holography

During the calculus classes the problems corresponding to topics presented on lectures will be discussed.

During laboratory classes 4experiments regarding basics optics phenomena will be performed together with statistical analysis of measurement data.

Reading list

(1) Eugen Hecht, Optics. 4th ed. Addison-Wesley, 2001. ISBN: 9780805385663

(2) Oleg Marchenko, Sergei Kazantsev and Laurentius Windholz, Demonstrational Optics vol.1, Springer Science, 2003. ISBN 978-1-4613-4723-1, ISBN 978-1-4419-8925-3 (eBook)

(3) Openstax University Physics vol. 3, https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-3