OPTI 505L

Fundamentals of Physical Optics Lab (1 unit). Lab in support of courses 501 and 505. Pre- or Co-requisite: OPTI 501 or 505R.

Lab Outline:

  1. Orientation
    • Collimation
    • Gaussian beams
    • Twyman-Green interferometer
  2. Basic Interference
    • Young’s double slit
  3. Diffraction I
    • Fresnel: straight edge, pinhole
    • Fraunhoffer: square aperture, circular aperture, multiple slits
  4. Diffraction II
    • Gratings
    • Zone plates
    • Volume diffraction
    • Scattering
  5. Polarization


  6. Coherence I
    • Young’s double slit
    • Multiple slits
    • Laser diode
  7. Coherence II
    • Michelson interferometer
  8. Twyman-Green Interferometer


  9. Fizeau Interferometer


  10. Shearing Interferometry


  11. Phase-Shifting Interferometry


  12. Coherence in Microscopy
Grading Criteria:
  • Lab Notebook 60%
  • Report 20%
  • Quizzes & Participation 20%