Photonics

Enrollment into the program.

Positive result from written exam and completed homework or individual project-task is necessary to enter the oral exam.

Laser beams and their manipulation: Gaussian optical beams, transformation of Gaussian beams with optical components, propagation through multicomponent optical systems.

Nonlinear optical phenomena: optical second-harmonic generation, optical parametric amplification, generation of THz radiation; nonlinear refractive index, self-phase modulation, optical solitons, optical phase conjugation, holography, optical data storage.

Optical modulators: electrooptic modulators, acoustooptic modulators, opto-optical modulators, modulation with liquid crystals.

Optical waveguides and fibers: planar slab optical waveguide, cylindrical fibers, dispersion and loss in optical fibers, coupling between light sources and optical waveguides, coupling between waveguides, multiplexing of optical signals, optical communications.

Optical detectors and sensors: semiconductor detectors, homodyne and heterodyne detection, noise in optical detection.

Photonic integrated circuits: optical filters, optical switches and couplers, bistable optical devices, silicon photonics, optical signal processing.

Special photonic materials: photonic crystals, optical metamaterials, nanoscale structures.

Excursion to optical research laboratory.

• B. E. A. Saleh and M. C. Teich: Fundamentals of Photonics, (John Wiley & Sons, 1991).
• A. Yariv: Optical Electronics in Modern Communications, (Oxford University Press, 1997).

The main objective of the course is to gain fundamental knowledge on optical materials and optical phenomena playing a vital role in operation principles of contemporary optical devices, optical communication systems and systems for optical signal processing.

The obtained competences provide design and management of processes and devices involving laser systems, optical waveguides and fibers, optical modulators and sensors, and integrated optical circuits.

Knowledge and understanding:
The students gain fundamental understanding of physical phenomena relevant for manipulation and processing of optical beams and optical signals. They also gain knowledge on operation principles of optical communication systems.

Application:
Know-how on modern experimental and processing techniques based on optics and lasers. Ability to design, run and upgrade different optical systems and instruments.
Capability to develop new optical methods in fundamental research, industry, medicine and information and communication technologies.

Reflection:
Combining knowledge in optics, electromagnetic fields, quantum mechanics and solid state physics to develop fundamental understanding of complex optical phenomena and systems.

Transferable skills:

Transition from theoretical ideas to practical understanding of contemporary optical devices and their application in different fields of modern technology.

Lectures, auditory exercises, homework or individual projects, consultations

2 midterm exams or final written exam
Oral exam
grading: 5 (fail), 6-10 (pass) (according to the Statute of UL)
Homework and project work: passed/non-passed

1. NOH, JungHyun, LIANG, Hsin-Ling, DREVENŠEK OLENIK, Irena, LAGERWALL, Jan P. F. Tunable multicolored patterns from photonic cross communication between cholesteric liquid crystal droplets. Journal of materials chemistry. C, Materials for optical and electronic devices, ISSN 2050-7526. [Print ed.], 2014, vol. 2, no. 5, str. 806-810, ilustr. http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2013/tc/c3tc32055c#divAbstract, doi: 10.1039/C3TC32055C. [COBISS-SI-ID 2621028].
2. YANG, Ming, WU, Qiang, CHEN, Zhandong, TANG, Baiquan, YAO, Jianghong, DREVENŠEK OLENIK, Irena, XU, Jingjun. Generation and erasure of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on nanoparticle-covered silicon by a single laser pulse. Optics letters, ISSN 0146-9592, 2014, vol. 39, iss. 2, str. 343-346, ilustr. http://www.opticsinfobase.org/ol/abstract.cfm?uri=ol-39-2-343. [COBISS-SI-ID 2633060].
3. TAŠIČ, Blaž, LI, Wei, SÁNCHEZ-FERRER, Antoni, ČOPIČ, Martin, DREVENŠEK OLENIK, Irena. Light-induced refractive index modulation in photoactive liquid-crystalline elastomers. Macromolecular chemistry and physics, ISSN 1022-1352, 2013, vol. 214, iss. 23, str. 2744-2751, ilustr. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/macp.201300493/full, doi: 10.1002/macp.201300493. [COBISS-SI-ID 2603620].
4. GREGORC, Marko, LI, Hui, DOMENICI, Valentina, AMBROŽIČ, Gabriela, ČOPIČ, Martin, DREVENŠEK OLENIK, Irena. Optical properties of light-sensitive liquid-crystal elastomers in the vicinity of the nematic-paranematic phase transition. Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics, ISSN 1539-3755, 2013, vol. 87, iss. 2, str. 022507-1-022507-7. http://pre.aps.org/abstract/PRE/v87/i2/e022507. [COBISS-SI-ID 2533988].
5. DREVENŠEK OLENIK, Irena, SORIA, Silvia, ČOPIČ, Martin, MAROWSKY, Gerd, RASING, Theo. Solid-liquid crystal interfaces probed by optical sencond-harmonic generation. V: RASING, Theo (ur.), MUŠEVIČ, Igor (ur.). Surfaces and interfaces of liquid crystals. Berlin; Heidelberg: Springer, cop. 2010, str. 111-137, ilustr. [COBISS-SI-ID 255731200]