PHYS 21064

>< Type/ Status : Core
>< Title : Physics of Waves and Optics
>< Pre-requisites : PHYS 11014
>< Objectives : By the end of course, students will gain a basic understanding on the fundamental concepts of vibrations and waves, optical physics and their applications.
>< Course Content :

Waves and Vibrations

Free Vibrations: Simple harmonic oscillations (SHO), Energy of SHO, Superposition of two SHO in 1-D and 2-D, Beats, Lissajues Figures. Damped Vibrations: Light, Critical and Heavy Damping, Amplitude decay, log dec., Energy loss. Forced Vibrations: Transient and steady state behaviours, Amplitude, Velocity and Power Resonance, Q value, bandwidth. Vibration insulation. Non-linear oscillations. Coupled Oscillators: Normal Modes, Resonance, N Coupled Oscillators. Waves: Displacement, Intensity, wave front, Superposition. Wave Phenomena: The Doppler effect, Dispersion, Particle, Phase and Group velocities, Beats. Amplitude and Frequency modulations. Transverse and Longitudinal Waves: Wave equations, Characteristic impedances, Reflection and transmission, Impedance matching, and Energy Propagation, Ripple tank. Intensity and pressure amplitudes. Waves in transmission lines, Coaxial cables. Fourier analysis.

Optics

Reflection and refraction at spherical surfaces, Prisms, Dispersion, Thin lenses, Lens makers formula, Compound lenses, Thick lenses and lens formula, Aberration, Optical instruments. Hygen’s Principle. Interference of Light; Concept of Optical Path, Young’s Double Slit Experiment. Fresnel’s Biprism. Lloyd’s Mirror. Interference Involving Multiple Reflections. Formation of Newton’s Rings. Nonreflecting Films. Interferometers. Fraunhofer Diffraction; Single Slit, Double Slit, Diffraction Grating, Circular Aperture. Chromatic Resolving Power. Fresnel Diffraction; Fresnel’s Half-Period Zones, Vibration Curve, Circular Aperture, Circular Obstacle. Zone Plate. Cornu’s Spiral. Fresnel’s Integrals. Polarization of Light; Polarisation by Dichroic Crystals, Double Refraction, Interference and Analysis of Polarised Light. Lasers; Resonance Radiation. Production of Laser Light. Holography. Applications of Lasers.

>< Methodology : A combination of lectures and tutorial discussions.
>< Scheme of Evaluation : End of semester written examination.
>< Recommended Reading:
1. French, A. P. (9th edition). Vibrations and Waves, WW Norton & Company.
2. Pain, H. J. (3rd edition). The Physics of Vibrations and Waves, John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
3. Subrahmanyyam, N. & Lal, B. (2nd edition). Waves and Oscillations, Vikas Publishing.
4. Hecht, E. & Zajac, A. (1976). Optics, Addison-Wesley.
5. Jenkins, F. A. & White, H. E. (1989). Fundamentals of Optics, McGraw-Hill.

Back