A203
Course Coordinator: 
Síle Nic Chormaic
Advanced Optics
Description: 

Review of geometrical optics; wave properties of light and the wave equation; Helmholtz equation;  wave optics, including Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, transfer functions, coherence, auto and cross-correlation;  Gaussian and non-Gaussian beam profiles; quantum optics and photon statistics; spin squeezing; applications of optics including fiber optics, laser resonators, laser amplifiers, non-linear optics, and optical trapping; quantum properties of light; interaction of photons and atoms.

Aim: 
To introduce students to fundamental and advanced topics in modern optics and photon physics.
Course Content: 
  1. Review of classical optics
  2. Ray and wave optics
  3. Laser optics and Gaussian beams
  4. Non-Gaussian beam optics 
  5. Fourier optics 
  6. Electromagnetic optics
  7. Nonlinear optics
  8. Lasers, resonators and cavities
  9. Photon optics
  10. Photon statistics and squeezed light
  11. Interaction of photons with atoms 
  12. Experimental applications: Optical trapping 
  13. Experimental applications: Laser resonator design
  14. Experimental applications: Light propagation in optical fibers and nanofibers
  15. Experimental applications: laser cooling of alkali atoms
  16. Laboratory Exercises:  Mach-Zehnder & Fabry-Perot Interferometry; Fraunhofer & Fresnel Diffraction; Single-mode and Multimode Fiber Optics; Polarization of Light; Optical Trapping & Optical Tweezers
Course Type: 
Elective
Credits: 
2
Assessment: 
Continuous Assessment: 60%, Final Exam, 40%.
Text Book: 
Fundamentals of Photonics, by Saleh and Teich (2007) Wiley
Reference Book: 
Quantum Optics, an Introduction, by Mark Fox (2006) Oxford University Press
Optics, by Eugen Hecht (2001) Addison Wesley