• Level of study

    BAC +3

  • ECTS

    4 credits

  • Component

    Faculty of Science

  • Hourly volume

    36h

Description

The practical work of wave optics studies the phenomena of interference using the Michelson and Fabry-Perot interferometers as an application of a high resolution spectroscopy. (Practical work on Michelson interferometer and Fabry-Perot interferometer)

The phenomena of interference are also recorded in holographic plates for the restitution and the study of holograms (TP holography)

The polarization of light is studied and is used to study birefringent materials (e.g. calcite), liquid crystals, isotropic materials placed under stress (induced birefringence)... (TP birefringence)

The emission of electromagnetic waves by heated bodies is studied in the black body practical exercises. The temperature of different hot bodies is determined with a pyrometer, a spectroscopy and an infrared camera (for the human body for example).

Lasers are also studied, their emission, their longitudinal and transverse modes either on a "fixed" cavity or on an open and adjustable cavity. (TP HeNe laser I and II)

The speed of propagation of an electromagnetic wave modulated in intensity is measured through a measurement of phase shift of its modulation induced by its propagation. (TP speed of light)

Objects are analyzed by Fourier optics which, after filtering, allows certain details to appear or disappear. The study is also compared to digital Fourier filtering (TP strioscopy)

Finally, the property of certain substances, subjected to a magnetic field, to deviate the plane of polarization of the light passing through them is being studied in the Faraday effect TP.

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Objectives

Become familiar with light analysis instruments such as spectrometers, power meters, spectrum analyzers, CCDs, pyrometers, etc. that are commonly used in industry and research.  

To put into practice the theoretical notions acquired during the first three years of the degree by manipulating legendary optical instruments still used today in cutting-edge technology and research.

At the end of the course, the student should be able to adjust, understand his observations and make a measurement with the instruments he has studied. He will know the physical phenomena at play and used in the instrument allowing a precise measurement.

Some manipulations are simple and do not require any particular instruments for observation, but they involve fundamental phenomena that one must be able to name and understand and require a protocol for the demonstration of these phenomena that one must be able to reproduce and understand.

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Necessary pre-requisites

  1. Geometric optics: Snell-Descartes law. Image formation by lenses/mirrors. Optical path.
  2. Wave optics: plane wave and plane wave distribution. Interference with two or more waves. Fraunhofer diffraction.
  3. Mathematics: Fourier transform

Recommended prerequisites*:

      Polarization of light (polarizer, wave blades (quarter wave, half wave). Notions of Fourier optics (time/frequency, real space/wave vector). Fabry-Perot (sharpness, free spectral interval). Operation of a laser (population inversion, spontaneous/stimulated emission).

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Knowledge control

CC (1/3) TP Exam (2/3)

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Additional information

Practical work : 36 h

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