Optics and Optical Design
Optik och optisk design

FAFN45, 7.5 credits, A (Second Cycle)

Valid for: 2025/26
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering LTH
Decided by: PLED N
Date of Decision: 2025-04-10
Effective: 2025-05-05

General Information

Main field: Photonics Depth of study relative to the degree requirements: Second cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classified
Mandatory for: MFOT1
Elective for: BME4-bf, E4, F4, F4-f, F4-axn, F4-kv, N4
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English

Aim

As overarching goal of the course, students are supposed to obtain knowledge in fundamental and advanced concepts within optics as well as understanding for when and how these concepts can be applied. The course covers optical devices and there functioning and has the goal that the students obtain practical knowledge in optical design with the help of a ray-tracing software.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• Give an account of the differences between important optical concepts like geometrical optics, wave optics or electro-magnetic optics.
• Explain important principals like polarisation, diffraction, interferometri and holography.

Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must

• Design and build industrial optical applications.
• Solve optical problems with the help of geometrical optics, wave optics or electro-magnetic optics.
• Independently perform alignment and measurement tasks within optics.
• Calculate light propagation through optical components.
• Perform practical optical design.
• Identify and integrate knowledge from English literature within the field.
• Present a project work orally and in writing.
• Perform a project in a group.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• Argue which optical principles are reasonable to apply to solve a given optical problem.

Contents

The course has the following content. Every topic is coupled to a chapter in the course book.

• Ray optics, including matrix-formulation
• Wave optics, interference
• Fourier Optics, diffraction
• Electro-magnetic optics
• Anisotropic media
• Polarization, Jones matrix formalism
• Optics of layered media and photonic crystals

Furthermore, laboratory exercises and a ray-tracing project.

Examination details

Grading scale: TH - (U, 3, 4, 5) - (Fail, Three, Four, Five)
Assessment:

Written examination in the end of the course as well as accepted lab reports, accepted ray-tracing project (oral presentation, written report) as well as participation in all obligatory course events.

For students that do not pass the ordinary exam, additional examination possibilities are offered during LTH's scheduled re-exam periods.

The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.

Modules
Code: 0125. Name: Laboratory Work.
Credits: 2.0. Grading scale: UG - (U, G). Assessment: Approved lab reports
Code: 0225. Name: Project.
Credits: 1.0. Grading scale: UG - (U, G). Assessment: Approved report and oral presentation
Code: 0325. Name: Written Exam.
Credits: 4.5. Grading scale: TH - (U, 3, 4, 5). Assessment: Written exam

Admission

Assumed prior knowledge: Basic physics and mathematics.
The number of participants is limited to: No
Kursen överlappar följande kurser: FAFF01

Reading list

• B. E. A. Saleh and M. C. Teich: Fundamental of Photonics, second or third edition. John Wiley & sons, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-119-50687-4.

Contact

Course coordinator: Cord Arnold, cord.arnold@fysik.lth.se
Teacher: Olle Lundh, Olle.lundh@fysik.lth.se
Examinator: Cord Arnold, cord.arnold@fysik.lth.se
Course homepage: https://canvas.education.lu.se/courses/12029

Further information