Optics

This course provides an introduction to optical science with elementary engineering applications. Topics covered in geometrical optics include: ray-tracing, aberrations, lens design, apertures and stops, radiometry and photometry. Topics covered in wave optics include: basic electrodynamics, polarization, interference, wave-guiding, Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, image formation, resolution, space-bandwidth product. Analytical and numerical tools used in optical design are emphasized. Graduate students are required to complete assignments with stronger analytical content, and an advanced design project.

• Lecture 1: Course organization; introduction to optics
• Lecture 2: Reflection and refraction; prisms, waveguides, and dispersion
• Lecture 3: Focusing, imaging, and the paraxial approximation
• Lecture 4: Sign conventions; thin lenses; real and virtual images
• Lecture 5: Thick lenses; the composite lens; the eye
• Lecture 6: Terms: apertures, stops, pupils, and windows; single-lens camera
• Lecture 7: Basics of mirrors, magnifiers, and microscopes
• Lecture 8: Telescopes; aberrations: chromatic, spherical, and coma
• Lecture 9: More aberrations; optical design; GRadient INdex (GRIN)
• Lecture 11: The Hamiltonian formulation; introduction to waves
• Lecture 12: The wave equation; phasor representation; 3D waves
• Lecture 13: 3D wave phenomena; introduction to electromagnetics
• Lecture 14: Maxwell's equations; polarization; Poynting's vector
• Lecture 15: Huygens principle; interferometers; Fresnel diffraction
• Lecture 16: Gratings: amplitude and phase, sinusoidal and binary
• Lecture 17: Fraunhofer diffraction; Fourier transforms and theorems
• Lecture 18: Spatial filtering; lens transfer functions & transforms
• Lecture 19: The 4F system; binary amplitude & pupil masks
• Lecture 20: Shift invariance; pupil engineering; the Talbot effect
• Lecture 22: Coherent and incoherent imaging
• Lecture 23: Imaging with a single lens
• Lecture 25: Resolution; defocused optical systems
• Lecture 26: Depth of focus and field; polarization; wave plates