Photonics

Vittorio Degiorgio was Full Professor in Physics of Matter at the University of Pavia, Italy, from 1980 to 2011, since which time he has been Professor Emeritus at the university. He was Head of the Department of Electronics at the University from 1991 to 1997 and Director of the Laser Center from 2007 to 2011. Prior to joining the University of Pavia, he had been a researcher at the National Council of Research (CNR) since 1964, operating at CISE Labs, Milan, Italy. Dr. Degiorgio is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and of the Italian Physical Society. He has been a Member of the Physics Panel of the European Union and of the Scientific Council and Directive Council of the European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS), Florence, Italy. He is also a past Vice-president of the National Institute for the Physics of Matter (INFM). Dr. Degiorgio is the author of more than 200 articles in Photonics and Statistical Physics as well as co-author or co-editor of five books.Ilaria Cristiani has been Assistant Professor in Applied Physics at the University of Pavia since 1999. Her teaching activity is mainly devoted to Physics and Photonics for the Engineering courses. Up to 2010 she was also coordinator of a Masters Course in Materials Science at the Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori (IUSS), Pavia. Dr. Cristiani’s scientific activity is mainly aimed at the experimental study of linear and nonlinear optical phenomena in guided-wave structures, for applications to optical communications and biophotonics. She has co-authored about 70 papers published in peer-reviewed international journals and four books. Dr. Cristiani has coordinated several research projects in the field of Photonics funded by the Italian University Ministry, by private foundations, and by the European Community.

Photonics. A short course.- The laser.- Spectrum of electromagnetic waves.- Conventional light sources.- Origin of the laser.- Properties of oscillators.- Emission and absorption of light.- Optical amplification.- Scheme and characteristics of the laser.- Rate equations.- Types of laser.- Properties of laser light.- Propagation of electromagnetic waves.- Waves in vacuum.- Spectrum of optical signals.- Polarization of light.- Paraxial approximation.- Spherical wave.- Gaussian spherical wave.- Diffraction. Fresnel approximation.- Fraunhofer diffraction.- Rectangular and circular aperture.- Periodical transmission function.- Fourier optics.- Optical components.- Waves in matter.- Dispersive medium.- Reflection and refraction.- Dielectric interface.- Reflection from a metallic surface.- Anti-reflecting dielectric layer.- Multilayer mirror.- Beam splitter.- Total reflection prism.- Evanescent waves.- Thin lens and spherical mirror.- Focussing of spherical waves.- Focussing of Gaussian spherical waves.- ABCD matrices.- Modulation.- Linear electro-optic effect.- Interferometric modulator.- Birefringence-variation modulator.- Quadratic electro-optic effect.- Liquid crystal modulator.- Acousto-optic effect.- Acousto-optic modulation.- Acousto-optic deflection.- Semiconductor devices.- Semiconductor laser.- Homojunction laser.- Double heterojunction laser.- Characteristics of the semiconductor laser.- Semiconductor amplifier.- Light-emitting diodes.- LED.- OLED.- Photodetectors.- Photoelectric detectors.- Semiconductor detectors.- CCD detectors.- Electro-absorption modulators.- Optical fibers.- Properties of optical fibers.- Modal properties.- Attenuation.- Dispersion.- Dispersive propagation.- Types of fiber.- Fiber-optic components.- Fiber-optic amplifiers.- Fiber-optic lasers.- Applications.- Information and communication technologies.- Optical communications.- Optical memories.- Integrated optics.- Optical metrology and sensing.- Telemetry and vibration detection.- Velocimetry.- Sensing of physical quantities.- Industrial applications.- Biomedical applications.- Ophthalmology.- Biological imaging.- LED applications.- Photovoltaic cells.- Liquid crystal displays.