Fall Semester 2016: Physics 507: Contemporary Optics
Instructor: Lloyd M. Davis
ldavis@utsi.edu
http://spie.org/profile/Lloyd.M.Davis
This class is available to students enrolled at the UTK campus or at the UTSI campus. We will utilize
Blackboard Collaborate, which enables remote live participation from anywhere with an internet
connection. Students may choose to participate in live interactive classes with Blackboard Collaborate,
and/or to watch recorded classes using Blackboard Collaborate. To access classes, you will need a
PC/laptop/notebook or smartphone; you must have a microphone if you wish to ask questions during
interactive classes.
Scheduled meeting times for interactive class sessions:
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
10:10 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. Central Time (i.e., 11:10 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. Eastern Time)
The classes will be live and recorded during these times and will be available for viewing almost
immediately afterwards.
Contact information & office hours:
Students may contact me at any time by e-mail ldavis@utsi.edu, telephone 931-393-7335, or in person
regarding questions about the coursework or homework. Also, I will be available immediately after each
class for questions via Blackboard Collaborate. My office is room 143 in the Center for Laser
Applications lab building at UTSI.
Course Objectives:
To learn about a wide range of contemporary topics in modern optics, including physical optics, lasers,
beam propagation, waveguides, Fourier optics, coherence, holography, light propagation in anisotropic
materials, electro-optics, acousto-optics, near-field optics, nano-optics, quantum optics, and non-linear
optics. To develop a working practical knowledge of optics/photonics; to learn how to design, optimize,
tolerance and build a variety of optical set-ups; to learn about practical limitations imposed by
fundamental physical laws; to become confident in using optical design software to design, analyze, and
optimize practical experimental set-ups; to learn how to specify and select off-the-shelf photonic
components from major vendors.
Importance of optics and why you should consider taking a graduate-level course in optics:
Optics and Photonics have become pervasive in society, in most aspects of modern technology, and in
their application in making fundamental breakthroughs in a wide range of other fields of modern physics.
A working knowledge of optics and optical technology should be of benefit to you no matter in which
field of physics or engineering you intend to focus your career.
Relevance of Optics: Due to the relevance of optics in cross-disciplinary science and its major economic
impact (global market of €300 billion projected to reach €600 billion by 2020), the UN General Assembly
68th Session proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. The UN
resolution states: “In proclaiming an International Year focusing on the topic of light science and its
applications, the UN has recognized the importance of raising global awareness about how light-based
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technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy,
education, agriculture and health. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is an imperative crosscutting discipline of science in the 21st century. It has revolutionized medicine, opened up international
communication via the Internet, and continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and political
aspects of the global society.” This year, 2016, is also a special year in optics: For further information, see
http://www.light2015.org/Home.html and http://www.osa.org/en-us/100/osa100/items/optical_clock/.
Basis of grading:
The higher of the following two possibilities:
Homework Assignments
Two Optical Design Projects (Zemax)
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
10%
30%
30%
30%
30%
30%
20%
20%
Grade allocation scale:
A
91−100
B+
81−90
B
71−80
C+
61−70
C
50−60
D
40−50
F
< 40
With each class, there will be a homework assignment that is anticipated to take ~1–2 hours. Each
homework problem-set assignment should be scanned and e-mailed to me at least one hour before the next
Tuesday classroom meeting period. Model answers will be distributed and reviewed, usually 10 minutes
prior to the beginning of this class. No late homework will be accepted, but to accommodate unforeseen
emergencies, the lowest 10% of your solutions will be dropped from your grade consideration. Design
projects for Zemax are due at posted dates and will not be accepted late. It is advisable to turn them in at
least a week or two earlier than scheduled. In this way, if I find you have made an error, I will give you a
chance to fix the error before the final due date. Homework problems and projects must be worked
independently (never worked out together with another student) but the lecture notes and the principles
needed for working problems may be discussed with other class members or me. The midterm and final
exams must be work independently, and without any discussion with others.
(See pages 16-18 of http://dos.utk.edu/files/Hilltopics2012-2013.pdf for UT policies on plagiarism,
receiving or giving assistance, collaborating, etc.)
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References:
Notes will be distributed before each class. It is not necessary to purchase a text, but I have used the
following references in making class notes and problems:
(i) G: “Modern Optics,” by R. Guenther, Wiley, 1990 https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Optics-B-DGuenther/dp/0198738773 (If you wish to purchase one text, this is the recommended one.)
(ii) KL: “Laser Beams and Resonators,” H. Kogelnik and T. Li, Applied Optics, 5, 1550—1567 (1966)
(iii) Z: Zemax/OpticStudio, http://www.zemax.com/OS/OpticStudio ; Getting started:
http://www.zemax.com/ZMXLLC/media/PDFLibrary/Brochures/OpticStudio16_GettingStarted.pdf?ext=.
pdf
(iv) S: “Modern Optical Engineering,” W.J. Smith, 1990, or 2008
(v) NH: “Principles of Nano-Optics,”L. Novotny and B. Hecht, 2006
(vi) I: Other information available on the internet will be used throughout the class.
Required Instructional Technology:
Students will need access to a laptop or desktop computer on which Zemax optical design software can be
installed. It will be necessary to use the computer to follow along during some classes. A calculator (or
spreadsheet software) is required for homework and exams.
The midterm and final exams will be take home, open-book and will require use of a calculator and a
computer set up to use Zemax optical design software.
Zemax software may be downloaded from their website, but can only be run with internet access to a
license server. For this class, Zemax will provide us with a 25-seat educational license, which will be
available to those enrolled in the class.
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Class Schedule (draft):
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Date
Thursday
Aug 18
Tuesday
Aug 23
Thursday
Aug 25
Tuesday
Aug 30
Thursday
Sep 1
Tuesday
Sep 6
Thursday
Sep 8
Tuesday
Sep 13
Thursday
Sep 15
Tuesday
Sep 20
Thursday
Sep 22
Tuesday
Sep 27
Thursday
Sep 29
Tuesday
Oct 4
Thursday
Oct 6
Tuesday
Oct 11
Thursday
Oct 13
Tuesday
Oct 18
Thursday
Oct 20
Tuesday
Oct 25
Thursday
Topic
Electromagnetic waves, polarization, reflection,
and refraction; Fresnel eqns.
Eikonal eqn., Fermat, geometric optics, lenses,
ray tracing, lens formula, matching f-number
Matrix methods for ray tracing, resonators,
object-image matrix, location of principle pts.,
stops, pupils, nomenclature & definitions
Aberrations: classification & reduction
Homework
5 problems
Optical design software 1: Zemax basics,
editors, stock lenses, tilts and decenters
Gaussian beam propagation, resonators,
mode matching
Optical design software 2: Zemax intermediate,
analysis, optimization, tolerancing
Higher order modes, M2 for non-ideal Gaussians,
ray equivalent model, Bessel beams
Optical design software 3: Zemax intermediate,
image analysis, polarization;
Set project 1 (due Mon Oct 31)
Apertures and stops, effects on aberrations
3 problems
Coherence, temporal, spatial; change of
coherence and spectrum with propagation
Lasers; population inversion, stimulated
emission, gain & loss, types, properties
Photons, non-classical light, introduction to
quantum optics
Optical materials, mirrors, thin film coatings;
Set midterm exam (due Mon Oct 10)
Fall Break
Review midterm exam
Diffraction theory
Interference, dielectric layers, etalons
Total internal reflection; absorbing media
Guided modes, fibers, GRIN lenses
Linear systems theory (Fourier transforms)
4
5 problems
5 problems
5 problems
7 problems
3 problems
7 problems
3 problems
TBD
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Oct 27
Tuesday
Nov 1
Thursday
Nov 3
Tuesday
Nov 8
Thursday
Nov 10
Tuesday
Nov 15
Thursday
Nov 17
Tuesday
Nov 22
Thursday
Nov 24
Tuesday
Nov 29
Wednesday
Nov 30
Thursday
Dec 2
Tuesday
Dec 6
Fourier optics, image processing, phase
microscope, structured-illumination
Optical design software 4: Zemax advanced
Non-sequential ray tracing
Review project 1; set project 2 (due Wed Nov 30)
Laser focusing at high numerical aperture,
nano-optics and near field optics
Radial and azimuthal polarization; twisted light
(orbital angular momentum & optical vortices)
Light propagation in anisotropic materials
Electro-optics & acousto-optics
Non-linear optics
Thanksgiving
Ultrafast optics, pulse-shaping, measuring
Study Period
Optional class; review project 2;
review/questions; set final exam (due Mon Dec 5)
Optional class; review final exam
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