Department of Physics, Unit Catalogue 2010/11 |
PH40086: Photonics |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Masters |
| Period: | This unit is available in... |
| Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| EX 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| Before taking this unit you must (take PH20017 or take PH20063) and take PH30030 and take PH30077 |
| Description:
| Aims: The aim of this unit is to develop students' understanding of the fundamental physics underlying both linear and nonlinear interactions of light with matter. A further aim is to describe how these interactions may be manipulated and enhanced by means of periodically patterned and microstructured optical waveguides. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * discuss the properties of waveguide modes as solutions to the scalar wave equation; * describe in detail the properties of coupled waveguides and waveguide transitions; * explain the physical origins and implications of loss and dispersion in practical waveguides; * describe the unique properties of photonic crystal fibres; * give a detailed explanation of the basic properties of photonic bandgaps and defects in 2 D and 3 D photonic crystals; * demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the quantum mechanical origin of optical nonlinearities; * discuss the meaning and applications of the phase matching conditions in frequency conversion; * outline nonlinear effects in optical fibres. Skills: Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A. Content: Optical waveguides (6 hours): Waveguide modes; scalar wave equation, mode excitation and propagation, transitions, chromatic dispersion. Coupled modes; directional coupling, supermodes, phase-matching, leakage and bending loss. Transmission and reflection characteristics of periodic optical waveguides. Photonic crystals (5 hours): Photonic crystal fibres; Index guiding fibres, endlessly single mode fibres, solid- and hollow-core photonic bandgap fibres. One-dimensional photonic crystals. Two- and three-dimensional photonic crystals; Bloch theorem, photonic band gap, photonic crystal band structure, defects in photonic crystals. Nonlinear optics (11 hours): Two-level atom in an electromagnetic field; linear and nonlinear susceptibilities, saturation effects; Rabi oscillations; Maxwell-Bloch equations; laser, optical bistability. Nonlinear refractive index; focusing and defocusing nonlinearities. Nonlinear beam propagation, filamentation, Lorentz oscillator model and nonlinear wave mixing. Second harmonic generation; parametric frequency conversion, phase-matching. Nonlinear optics in fibres; group velocity dispersion, nonlinear Schrödinger equation, four-wave mixing, polarisation dependent nonlinear effects in fibers, Raman and Brillouin effects, self- and cross-phase modulations. Short pulses and solitons in optical fibers, intrapulse Raman scattering. Cherenkov radiation and optical supercontinuum. Nonlinear optics in coupled waveguides and Bragg gratings. |