Wave Optics – PHYS 440

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

Wave properties of light, interference, diffraction, scattering, and interaction with matter. Includes lab.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Optics is the field that relates the interaction of light with matter.  Our world is literally filled with optical phenomenon.  From the human eyeball and retinal surface that allow vision, to the color the sky due to optical scattering, to more complex phenomena due to the wave nature of light, there is hardly a context where optics isn't relevant.  It is therefore a necessary and fascinating foundation for your physics education.

Course Assignment

Textbook Readings

Course Requirement Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Homework Assignments (8)

Students will submit homework solutions to the problem set at the end of each textbook chapter, worked out in detail. Two problems will be chosen from each set to count toward your homework grade.

Lab Experiment Assignments (4)

Students will be required to work out experiments related to wave optics. Experiments will be conducted to assess laboratory and data analysis skills.

Quiz: Exams (2)

Quiz: Exams will test your mastery of physics concepts for problem solving and also for the correct use of mathematical notation. The Quiz: Midterm Exam and Quiz: Final Exam will be open-book/open-notes, contain free response questions, and have a three hour time limit.