Fundamentals of Photonics

Khashayar Mehrany
Department of Electrcial Engineering
Sharif University of Technology
 Ray Optics!
• It is usually referred to as the geometrical
optics
• It is the simplest theory of light and yet it
could be quite complex!
• What is an optical ray?
– We know light travels along straight lines in free
space, as if it is an arrow
– It is made of particles and has no wave nature,
which is untrue!
 Ray Optics
• What is an optical ray? (cont.)
– The true meaning of it becomes clear when we
learn about the wave theory, questions to ponder:
• Is it what we see? In other words, is it what we see- is it
the flow of energy?
• Do we really see laser beams?
 Ray Optics
• What is an optical ray? (cont.)
– The true meaning of it becomes clear when we
learn about the wave theory, questions to ponder:
• Is it what we see? In other words, is it what we see- is it
the flow of energy? Yes, only in isotropic medium
• Do we really see laser beams? Not unless there is
enough smoke
– Light ray is perpendicular to the wavefront
 Ray Optics
• What is an optical ray? (cont.)
– Light ray is perpendicular to the wavefront
Postulates
Postulates
 Few important notes
• Light travels along the path of least time, and not
along the shortest path!
• The path of least time is not always unique, the
shortest time might be achieved along more than
a single path. It could be the path of most time!
• Refractive index can only be understood by using
quantum physics. For the moment, beware that:
– It is not always > 1, positive, or even real
– It depends on the color of light
– It also depends on the direction of the ray!
 On the refractive index
• Refractive index depends on the response of the
matter to the electromagnetic field (electric and
magnetic fields both)
• It is not a number, it is a response much like the
impedance which is the voltage response of a
circuit element to the passing current
• Electromagnetic wave has both frequency and
wave-number; thus, the refractive index depends
on both
• No need to say that it also depends on the matter
 Homogeneous Media
• The refractive index is constant in a
homogenous media.
• The path of least time is the shortest path
because optical path length is the geometrical
length
• Light travels along straight lines
 Optical Interface and Reflection
• The sudden change of optical refractive index
is tantamount to having an optical interface
• There is always reflection at an optical
interface. To be honest, there is always some
reflection when there is a change in optical
refractive index
• Complete reflection, also known as total
reflection, makes a mirror.
 Reflection and Reflection Angle
• The Fermat’s principle is fulfilled when the
angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection
 Reflection and Reflection Angle
• AB is the shortest path!
• There is a constraint of striking the mirror
– There are two paths: AD and DB, AE and EB, …
– AE+EB = AE+EB’
– B is seen at B’
 Reflection and Refraction
• The incident ray at an optical interface is split
in two rays: reflected and refracted
(transmitted)
 Reflection and Refraction
• Refraction can be better understood by using
the lifeguard allegory! It is faster to run than it
is to swim
 Reflection and Refraction
• A question to ponder! How does light know
about the shortest path!
• It seems even ants know it!
 Reflection and Refraction
• Fermat’s principle is fulfilled when the Snell’s
law is met
 Reflection and Refraction
• Fermat’s principle is fulfilled when the Snell’s
law is met
 Total Internal Reflection
• There is total internal reflection when n1 > n2.
 Optical Components
• The following rules render further recourse to
the Fermat's principle unnecessary
– Light travels along straight lines in homogeneous
(free space)
– The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection
– The angle of refraction obeys the Snell’s law
– Reflected, refracted and the incident rays all lie in
the plane of incidence
 Back to the Question!
• Light finds the path of least time. What does it
do? How does it find the optimum path?
• It seems as if it sniffs the path around! That
could be why we observe diffraction
 Quantum Thinking!
• The answer is not perplexing when we think of
it in a quantum manner whereby photons
could reflect from anywhere:
 Quantum Thinking!
• Each path corresponds to a complex number
whose phase (angle) is proportional to the
time
 Quantum Thinking!
• What if we chop off most of the mirror D-M
 Quantum Thinking!
• Nothing happens as the arrows cancel each
other
 Quantum Thinking!
• And what if we rectify the arrows by
eliminating the destructively interfering
arrows!
 Quantum Thinking!
• That is how gratings work, i.e. map color
(frequency) to space!
 Quantum Thinking!
• The same approach holds for refraction
 Back to the Diffraction
• Light travels along a straight line if there are
enough paths to cause destructive
interference among curved paths
 Tricking Nature
• You can always trick nature by playing with
that interference