WHITTIER
COLLEGE
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Physics
320: OPTICS |
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Fall
2012 |
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General
Information |
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Professor |
Dr. Serkan Zorba |
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Office |
Science
105G |
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Phone |
907-4200
Ext. 4450 |
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E-mail |
szorba(at)whittier.edu |
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Class
meets |
Mon, Wed 2:30-4:20 pm, SC 114 (Lab hours
included). |
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Office
hours |
Tue:
11:00-12:30pm, Wed: 11:00-12:00pm, Thrs
11:00-12:30p.m |
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Textbook |
Introduction
to Optics by Pedrotti&Pedrotti&Pedrotti, 3rd
Edition, Prentice Hall. ISBN: 978-0131499331 |
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Course
description |
Optical products
are all around us: from laser printers and cell phones, to CDs and
telecommunication fibers. This trend is to continue increasingly. Indeed, it
is said that the 21st century will be photonics dominated. Optics is the study
of light, which we now know consists of a light “particle” called photon. In
other words, optics is really the study of a single particle, photon. Now,
that might strike you as a simple thing to do, but hear what Einstein said: “Many physicists
think they know what a photon is. I have spent a lifetime working on it but I
still don’t know what a photon is.” In this course, we
will be learning about various aspects of light, and at the end of it,
evaluate Einstein’s remarks. Particularly, we will study geometrical,
physical, and quantum optics. Lasers will be especially a central part of
this course: we will learn about their physics, and do experiments with them.
Out of the two
weekly lectures, there will be one lecture
(mostly) on Mondays, and one lab session (mostly) on Thursdays.
Homework assignments and conceptual surveys will be given regularly, so be
abreast with the course material. There will be two midterms and a final
examination. Experiments will be conducted in groups of 3 or 4. You will be
required to write separate lab reports for the first three labs, and one
single lab report for the whole group after that. The lab reports will be due
exactly one week after the experiment has been performed. A crucial part of
lab reports will be the error analysis. I will describe to you how you can do
that. For other info and detailed grade scheme see below. If
you have a specific disability that qualifies you for academic
accommodations, please contact Disability Services for letter of
accommodation. |
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Attendance
policy |
You
cannot miss any lab without a valid excuse such as sickness or a family emergency.
For the former you have to bring in a note from your doctor. |
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Grading |
1st
Midterm: 20% (Oct 15, 2012) 2nd Midterm 20 % (Nov 19, 2012) Homework: 20 % Lab Reports (Error Analysis to be included): 10 % Final: 30 % (Friday, Dec 14, 2012; 10:30-12:30pm) |
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Homework |
Homework
will be posted on the course website, and will be due in class a week after
it is given. Homework solutions will be posted on the website right after the
due date. No homework will be accepted after the class! |
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Topics
to be covered |
Geometrical Optics:
Reflection, Refraction, Total Internal Reflection, Lenses Physical Optics:
Diffraction through Circular Apertures, Diffraction through Slits, Interference,
Michelson-Morley Interferometer, Newton Rings, Polarization of Light,
Birefringence, Abbe Theory of Imaging Quantum Optics:
Lasers, Coherence of Lasers |
Course Learning
Objectives:
At the end of the
semester, the Phys 320 students will acquire the following knowledge and
skills:
Familiarity
with and facility in experimental technique. This entails learning how to:
(i)
Follow written directions.
(ii) Analyze experimental
results.
(iii) Design one's own
experimental procedures.
(iv) Determine
whether an experimental design is "good" or "bad".
(v) Use sophisticated
equipment.
(vi)
Construct apparatus.
Familiarity with and
facility in the use of computers and modern computing techniques for:
(i)
Analysis of data.
(ii) Numerical solution of
problems.
(iii) Interfacing with
experiments.
Weekly Schedule:
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Lecture: |
Experiment: |
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Week 1: |
Nature of Light (Chapter 1) |
No exp. |
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Week 2: |
Geometrical Optics (Chapters 2) Optional Reading: Optical Instrumentation (Chapter 3) |
Laws of Geometrical Optics Thin Lens Equation |
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Week 3: |
Characteristics of Laser Beams (Chapter 27) |
Expanding Laser Beams |
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Week 4: |
Interference of Light (Chapter 7) Optional Reading: Wave Equations (Chapters 4), and Superposition
of Waves (Chapter 5) |
Double-Slit Interference Single-Slit Diffraction |
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Week 5: |
Fraunhofer
Diffraction (Chapter 11) Optional Reading: The Diffraction Grating (Chapter 12), and Fresnel Diffraction (Chapter 13) |
Diffraction of Circular Apertures The Diffraction Grating |
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Week 6: |
Optical Interferometry (Chapter 8) |
The Michelson Interferometer |
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Week 7: |
Properties of Lasers (Chapter 6) EXAM 1 (Monday, Oct 15) |
No exp. |
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Week 8: |
Coherence (Chapter 9) Optional Reading: Laser Operation (Chapter 26) |
Laser and Coherence |
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Week 9: |
Production of Polarized Light (Chp15) Matrix Treatment of Polarization(Chp14) |
Polarization of Light |
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Week 10: |
Nonlinear Optics and Modulation of Light (Chapter 24) Optional Reading: Optical Properties of Materials (Chapter 25) |
The Faraday Effect |
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Week 11: |
Fourier Optics (Chapter 21) |
The Abbe Theory of Imaging |
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Week 12: |
Fiber Optics (Chapter 10) EXAM 2 (Monday, Nov 19) |
No exp. |
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Week 13: |
Selected Modern App. (Chapter 28) |
Fiber Optics and the Speed of Light |
Additional Suggested
Readings: Holography (Chapter 16)
Experiments:
1-)
The Laws of Geometrical Optics
2-)
Expanding Laser Beams
3-)
Diffraction of Circular Apertures
4-)
Single-Slit Diffraction and Double-Slit Interference
5-)
The Michelson Interferometer
6-)
Lasers and Coherence
7-)
Polarization of Light
8-)
Birefringes of Materials: Faraday Rotation
9-)
The Abbe Theory of Imaging
10-)
Fiber Optics and Speed of Light
Note: We will employ
(mainly) a He-Ne laser (Class IIIa), and Nitrgen gas (Class IIIb) and
(possibly) Dye lasers (Class IIIb) in this class.
Hence a portion of
the class time will be devoted to the operation of lasers.