PHY 4620 - Optics (4)

When Offered: Fall
A rigorous introduction to geometric and wave optics with applications including lasers, interferometers, spectroscopy, telescopes, fiber optics, and remote sensing. Basic electromagnetic wave theory is employed to describe the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter including absorption, dispersion, reflection, and scattering. Geometric optics is employed to study image formation by optical systems using both ray-tracing and matrix optics methods. Wave optics is used to study interference, diffraction, and coherence. This leads into a detailed lab-based unit dealing with interferometry and optical system alignment, with applications to optical component testing, spectral analysis of light sources, and coherence. The course also includes a semester synthesis project. Lecture three hours, laboratory three hours.
Prerequisite: PHY 3001 or equivalent (with a grade of “C” or higher). (PHY 3020 is a suggested prerequisite, but students may also enroll with permission of instructor). [Dual-listed with PHY 5620.] Dual-listed courses require senior standing; juniors may enroll with permission of the department.