Modern Optics

Aim

The aim of the course is to give in-depth knowledge of optics.After successful examination the student should be able to …

I. ...reproduce, explain, analyze, and use physical concepts, relations, and methods related to wave optics.

II. ...reproduce, explain, analyze, and use physical concepts, relations, and methods related to materials optics.

III. ...reproduce, explain, analyze, and use physical concepts, relations, and methods related to polarization optics.

IV. ...reproduce, explain, analyze, and use physical concepts, relations, and methods related to ray optics and particle optics.

Content

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of several of the fields of optics. The purpose is also to be a link between basic optics courses and the content covered in more specialized optics courses and to disseminate knowledge in optics to prepare for industrial applications and to understand on an overall level the results of ongoing international optics research. The ambition is to describe the path from theory to application and at the same time provide models, methodology and tools that are practically useful. For the engineer, studies include mathematical models for analysis with the aim of providing physical / mathematical tools that are useful for developing and describing the optical systems, methods and components that exist in different environments in society and that need further development. For the curious physicist, basic theory is anchored in physics with the aim of providing an understanding of the optics relevant in current research. The course connects to real world problems through application examples to show that it is a short step between university studies and the knowledge and methods used in industrial development and research. Theories and models are tested in laboratory work and calculation steps to illustrate their usefulness and limitations.

The course consist of four parts (I-IV) which subheadings according to,I. Wave optics: -Coherence theory, -Fourier optics, -Near field optics.II. Material optics: -Optical response, -Dispersion models, -Inhomogeneous materials, -Layered structures.III. Polarization optics: -Polarized light, -Polarizing components, -Polarization methods.IV. Ray optics and particle optics: -Variation analysis, -Transformation optics, -Photon optics, -Electron and neutron optics

The lectures begin with brief repetitions of basic optics and then develop further into the more advanced concepts. The course also places great emphasis on the optical properties of materials and in many cases the theory is supplemented with application examples.

In the course many concepts are covered including:Coherence, Doppler shift, Gaussian rays, Fourier optics, laser optics, fiber optics and optical waveguides, dispersion models, Kramers / Kronig relationships, polarizing materials, heterogeneous media, effective media concepts, Jones formalism, Stokes/Mueller formalism, spectrophotometry, polarimetry, ellipsometry, matrix formalism for optical systems, and ray-tracking methods.

In addition, guest lecturers provide insights into the optical research front.