Leader: Associate Professor Andrei Nikulin

Offered

Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit provides part of a major in experimental physics. It consists of laboratory work and three 8-lecture sub-units:

1. Photonics: lasers, modulation and detection, optical waveguides, optical amplifiers, optical switches and photonic devices;
2. Synchrotron physics: physical mechanisms of radiation production, synchrotron light and experimental techniques, and
3. Optics: d'Alembert and Helmholtz equations, Fourier analysis, convolution, Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, imaging. The laboratory experiments involve practical measurements, journal recording and formal report presentation.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students will be able to; understand fundamental concepts in photonics (including photon propagation and information transfer), synchrotron physics (including synchrotron beam characteristics and applications of synchrotron radiation) and optics (light propagation and image formation) and apply a series of theoretical techniques related to these topics; extend mastery of this core to related subject areas of knowledge of particular interest to the student; perform a series of measurements on experiments related to the above topics; write up experimental reports, present, analyse and discuss results.

Assessment

Examinations (3 x 1 hour): 48%
Laboratory work: 34%
Assignments: 18%

Contact hours

An average of 2 hours lectures, one x 1.5 hour tutorial/workshop and 2.5 hours of laboratory work per week

Prerequisites

PHS2011, PHS2022, MTH2010, MTH2032