This introductory course is intended for the first year graduate students with background not directly related to Optics and Photonics. The course is designed to prepare students with sufficient foundation for taking more advanced optics courses. Topics covered in the lectures will include: Wave motion, Electromagnetic waves and photons, Propagation of light including scattering, reflection, and refraction, Basic geometrical optics, Superposition of waves, Polarization, Interference, diffraction, and basic Fourier optics.

Prerequisites

• Undergraduate degree in Science or Engineering or equivalent experience
• Graduate standing

Suggested reading

• Optics, Eugene Hecht, Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. (2002)

Course Outline

1. Introduction
   1. Course description, Course outline, Text and reference materials, Expectations, Grading policy.
   2. A brief history of Optics development
2. Wave Motion
   1. The differential wave equations
   2. Harmonic waves
   3. Phase and phase velocity
   4. Complex number representation
   5. Three-dimensional waves
3. Electromagnetic waves
   1. Basic laws of electromagnetic theory
   2. Electromagnetic waves
   3. Energy, momentum and radiation
4. The propagation of light
   1. Light scattering
   2. Reflection
   3. Refraction
   4. Fermat’s principles
   5. The electromagnetic approach
   6. Total internal reflection
5. Geometrical Optics
   1. Lenses
   2. Mirrors
6. The superposition of waves
   1. The addition of waves of same frequency
   2. The addition of waves of different frequency
7. Polarization
   1. Plane polarization
   2. Circular polarization
   3. Elliptical polarization
   4. Polarizers
   5. Birefringence
   6. Liquid crystal devices
8. Interference
   1. Interference of two waves
   2. Wave-front splitting interferometers
   3. Amplitude-splitting interferometers
9. Diffraction
   1. Fraunhofer diffraction
   2. Fresnel diffraction
10. Fourier Optics
    1. Fourier transforms
    2. Optical applications