Lecturer: Vittorio Degiorgio  

Course name: Photonics
Course code: 062212
Degree course: Ingegneria Elettronica e delle Telecomunicazioni
Disciplinary field of science: FIS/03
L'insegnamento costituisce attività di base per: Ingegneria Elettronica e delle Telecomunicazioni
University credits: CFU 5
Course website: http://www.unipv.it/eqn/fotonica/

Specific course objectives

The aim of the course is to describe the working principle and the main features of the laser and of the most important optical and opto-electronic components utilized in laser applications, with particular emphasis to optical communications.

Course programme

Light Sources
Working principle of lasers and optical amplifiers: stimulated emission, three-and four-level scheme. Solid-state and semiconductor lasers: structure, properties, Gaussian beams, comparison between the laser and the conventional light sources. LEDs.

Propagation of Optical Fields
Paraxial approximation, Gaussian spherical waves, Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, propagation in anisotropic media.

Optical and Optoelectronic Components and Devices
Dielectric layers, prisms, lenses and spherical mirrors, gratings, birefringent plates, Fabry-Perot interferometer, photodetectors, electro-optical and acousto-optical modulators, isolators.

Optical Fibers
Structure, propagation modes, attenuation, dispersion, special fibers, optical pulse propagation, fiber-Bragg-gratings, fiber amplifiers, fiber lasers.

Course entry requirements

General Physics, in particular Electromagnetism

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 32
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 10
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 6

Suggested reading materials

Vittorio Degiorgio e Ilaria Cristiani. Fotonica. Lecture Notes published by CUSL.

B.E.A. Saleh and M.C. Teich. Fundamentals of Photonics. Wiley 2007. Selected Chapters will be indicated.

Testing and exams

Written and oral examination.