Undergraduate - UnitPHS3051 - Photon physics

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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 and coherent light, modulation devices, optical waveguides, interference and holography, fibre optic communications, transmission and coupling to hardware and software devices, applications;
2. Synchrotron physics: radiation from moving charges and charge distributions, generating a synchrotron beam and enhancing its emission characteristics, experimental areas and beams, detectors and analyser, image formation, and
3. Optics: wave propagation and image formation, plane waves, diffraction, angular spectrum, phase contrast, interferometry, holography, focussed fields and the singularity hierarchy.

Outcomes

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%
Students must achieve a pass mark in the practical component to achieve an overall pass grade.

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Alexis Bishop

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, MTH2032 and either MTH2010 or MTH2015