Optical Physics

Course guarantor:

Ivan Richter

Lecturer:

Pavel Kwiecien, Ivan Richter

Tutor:

Pavel Kwiecien, Ivan Richter

Supervisor:

Department of Laser Physics and Photonics

Synopsis:

The lecture covers the basics of optical physics. It systematically discusses the optical wave propagation in vacuum, in isotropic and anisotropic media, and on their boundaries. It also classifies types of optical waves. Next, it describes the polarization and its applications, statistical properties of polychromatic waves, fundamentals of two and multiwave interference.

Requirements:

Fundamental technical BSc. education.

During the semester, two knowledge tests will be administered. The first test will take place approximately in the middle of the semester, and the second at its end. Each test will consist of 10 questions with a maximum score of 10 points. To obtain the course credit, it is necessary to achieve at least 10 points out of a total of 20.

The examination will begin with a discussion of incorrect answers from the tests, followed by additional questions covering the subject matter of the course.

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Propagation of optical waves in vacuum, basic types of waves (parabolic wave, Gaussian beam, Bessel beam, wave radiated from a dipole).

2.Propagation of optical waves in isotropic media, waves in homogeneous and inhomogeneous media, absorption and dispersion of homogeneous medium, optical scattering.

3.Processes at the boundary of two homogeneous media.

4.Polarization, description and polarization elements.

5.Propagation of optical waves in anisotropic media.

6.Anisotropy of crystals and its application, dichroism, optical activity, optics of liquid crystals.

7.Polychromatic waves and their statistical properties, second-order coherence, interference law, statistical manifestation of polarization.

8.Interference of light - two and multibeam interference.

9.Optical thin films, methods of analysis and applications.

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

Knowledge:

solid background knowledge of optical physics, both theoretical and practical, in connection to previous background in electrodynamics.

Skills:

orientation in the field of optical physics, skills in its practical usage and application, in connection to follow-up courses.

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] Electronic texts stored in Microsoft Teams

Recommeded references:

[2] Fiala P., Richter I.: Fyzikální optika. Skriptum FJFI, Praha 2004.

[3] Born M., Wolf E.: Principles of Optics. Cambridge University Press, 2019 (seventh edition).

[4] Saleh B.E.A., Teich M.C.: Fundamentals of Photonics. J. Wiley, 2019 (third edition); (český překlad: Základy fotoniky. Matfyzpress, Praha 1995.)

[5] Hecht E.: Optics. Pearson, 2017 (fifth edition).

[6] Lipson A., Lipson S. G., Lipson H.: Optical Physics. Cambridge University Press, 2011 (fourth edition).

[7] Shiell R., McNab I.: Pedrottis' Introduction to Optics. Cambridge University Press, 2025 (fourth edition).

[8] Asimellis G. Lectures in optics, vol. 1-4, SPIE, 2019.

[9] Guenther B. D.: Modern optics. Oxford University Press, 2015.

[10] Braat J., Török P.: Imaging optics. Cambridge University Press, 2019.

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2025/2026:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2025/2026:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Fyzikální elektronika - Fotonika (PS)
• Inženýrství pevných látek (elective course)