260092 VO Introduction to Photonics (2015S)

This is an introductory course to the field of photonics.

Table of contents:

Linear optics



1. Ray optics (short intro)


2. Electromagnetic waves


3. Propagation in free space, Maxwell's equations


4. Propagation in homogeneous, linear, nondispersive, isotropic media (linear response: dielectric function, susceptibility, refractive index)


5. Plane wave, spherical wave, Gaussian wave


6. Wave packets


7. Absorption and dispersion (complex refractive index, Kramers-Kronig)


8. Intensity, Poynting vector, Energy flow


9. Boundary conditions, phase matching


10. Waveguides


11. Crystal optics, polarization states (anisotropic media)


12. Index ellipsoid, wave vector surfaces, ray vector surface and relation


13. Birefringence


14. Fourier optics



Nonlinear optics



15. Interference and coherence, interferometry


16. Nonlinear dielectric susceptibilities


17. Electro-optic effect (Pockels, Kerr)


18. Applications: phase- , intensity- , polarization modulation


19. Photorefractive effect I (electro-optic materials)


20. Photorefractive effect II (2-states systems, polymers and composites)


21. Sum-frequency generation: second harmonic generation (coupled wave theory, DEQs and solution, phase matching, realization)


22. Holography in nonlinear materials, dynamical holography etc.


23. Photonic bandgap materials, metamaterials, photonic crystals

Basic knowledge in solid state physics required. Closely along the lines of Photonik (in German) by G.A. Reider (s. literature) and Saleh/Teich (Fundamentals of photonics)