Physics 481/581Physical Optics

Instructor: Oksana OstroverkhovaWeniger 413

oksana@science.oregonstate.edu

Class TA: Matt Cibulacibulam@onid.orst.edu

Class hours: MWF 10-11, Weniger 304Office hours: TF 1-2

Labs: R 9-11:50 AM or 1-3:50 PM, Weniger 426

Textbook

Main textbook:Eugene Hecht, “Optics”, 4th Ed.

Other texts:M. Born, E. Wolf, “Principles of Optics” (much more rigorous)G. Fowler, “Introduction to Modern Optics”E. Steward, “Fourier optics: an introduction”

Homework• Homework is given at every class and is due at the beginning of the

next class, unless stated otherwise

• No late homework is accepted, as the solutions are given at the class

• Work with others is encouraged, but write it up yourself

• Write enough of text, so that I see that you understand what you are doing

• Homework will be timely graded and returned

• Homework will contribute 20% to the overall grade

Labs• Hands-on experience is very important

• There will be 9 labs (starting from the next week and up to the last week of classes)

• Lab reports are due at the next lab session (i.e. you have 1 week to complete the report)

• Lab reports will be graded by the TA and returned in a timely fashion

• Material learned during labs can also appear at the midterm and final exam

• Labs will contribute 20% to the overall grade

Worksheets

• Worksheets will be given at each (or almost each) class

• These will have one or two questions on the material either covered in class or based on reading assignment

• Worksheets will be graded and returned in timely fashion

• Worksheets will contribute 10% to the overall grade

Grading: summary

• Homework 20%• Labs 20%• Worksheets 10%• Midterm (tentatively Feb 15) 20%• Final (Tue, March 20, 9:30-11:30 AM) 30%

Course syllabus• Electromagnetic waves (Chapters 1-3) week 1

• Interference (Chapters 7.1, 9.1, 9.2, 9.4.2) week 2-3

• Diffraction (Chapter 10) week 3-5

• Light propagation in the medium (Chapters 4.1-4.8) week 6

• Interference effects in media (Chapters 9.4-9.8) week 7

• Polarization. Birefringence. (Chapter 8.1-8.10,7.2) week 8

• Intro to Fourier Optics (Chapter 11.1-11.2) week 9

• Intro to modern optics (Chapter 13) week 10

Math to review

• Harmonic functions• Complex numbers, representations of

trigonometric functions• Vector calculus• Special functions (Bessels)• Fourier transforms• Basic linear algebra