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Wave Properties & Optics - Objectives

Content

• Refraction of light

• Total internal reflection

• Interference

• Diffraction

• Two-source interference

Learning Outcomes

Students should know about:

• Refractive index of a substance s , n_s = c/c_s; Candidates are not expected to recall methods for determining refractive indices
• The refractive index of air being approximately 1
• Snell's Law of refraction for a boundary between two different substances of refractive indices n₁ and n₂ in the form:
  n₁sin θ₁ = n₂sin θ₂
   
• Total internal reflection including calculations of the critical angle θ_c at a boundary between a substance of refractive index n₁ and a substance of lesser refractive index n₂ or air:
  sin θ_c = n₂/ n₁
• Simple treatment of fibre optics including function of the cladding with lower refractive index around central core limited to step index only; application to communications.
• Material and modal dispersion
• the principles and consequences of pulse broadening and absorption

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