PHY3037 : Photonics
- Offered for Year: 2020/21
- Module Leader(s): Dr Noel Healy
- Owning School: Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
Aims
To introduce the fundamentals of light matter interaction.
To provide an introduction to optical communications through optical fibres to allow a basic level of design calculation and evaluation to be performed.
To provide an understanding of the fundamental principles of light amplification and the laser.
To impart a broad appreciation of the plethora of modern applications of photonics and the most important emerging topics in this field.
Outline Of Syllabus
The nature of light:
Wave descriptions. Photon description and phenomena (photoelectric effect, momentum, interaction with matter), Kramers–Kronig relations. Description of light in terms of polarization, coherence, mono/polychromatic and Jones vectors & matrices.
Light generation:
LEDs & Lasers; Einstein A and B coefficients, rate equations, population inversion, gain and losses, resonators, laser threshold, 3 and 4 level systems, cavity modes and mode locking.
Basics of waveguides and optical fibres:
Waveguide structure, single and multimode fibres, dispersion, transmission characteristics.
Acousto-optic and electro-optic techniques, LED switching, analogue and digital techniques using lasers, AM, FM, phase modulation techniques.
Advanced topics:
Nonlinear optics, quantum optics, nano-photonics and plasmonics
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 24 | 0:30 | 12:00 | Revision for exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Final Exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 1 | 24:00 | 24:00 | Lectures will be formal with in-class formative assessment. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 12 | 0:10 | 2:00 | Office hours |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 60:00 | 60:00 | Writing up lecture notes; general reading |
| Total | 100:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| EEE3016 | Photonics |
| EEE8011 | Photonics |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures provide core material and guidance for further reading. Problem solving is introduced through lectures and practiced during private study.
Problems on each section of the syllabus are the most vital component of learning and understanding the materials covered in lectures and constitute the primary vehicle for student learning.
In addition, office hours (two per week) will provide an opportunity for more direct contact between individual students and the lecturer: a typical student might spend a total of one or two hours over the course of the module, either individually or as part of a group.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 100 | N/A |
Exam Pairings
| Module Code | Module Title | Semester | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEE3016 | Photonics | 2 | N/A |
| 2 | N/A |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Lectures provide core material and guidance for further reading. Problem solving is introduced through lectures and practiced during private study. The in-class assessment is summative and allows for monitoring student learning and instant feedback. These problems form an important component of learning and understanding the materials covered in the lectures and constitute the primary vehicle for student in-class learning. At stage 3-4 it is expected that the students are independent learners and the final exam has scope for the student to express this.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PHY3037's Timetable