Propagation of Light: Light and electromagnetic spectrum, Velocity of light in Vacuum in terms of Ɛo and
Ho; Super luminal light; Poynting vector and intensity of light; Hygen's principle, Fermat's principle; coherence properties of ordinary and laser light. Concept of reflection and Refraction; Reflection and Refraction of spherical surfaces; Refraction through lenses; Equivalent lens; Cardinal points.
2. Interference: Huygen's principle; superposition of waves; Young's experiments; Fresnel's biprism; Lloyd's mirror; Michelson's interferometer; Reflection from a film of varying thickness; Color of thin films; Newton's ring; Antireflection interferometer; Fabry-Perot Interference filters.
3. Diffraction:Fresnel &Fraunhofer diffraction; Diffraction- single slit and double slit; Multiple slits diffraction phenomena; Half-period zones and strips; Diffraction by a circular aperture; Diffraction by a circular obstacle; Zone plates; Diffraction at a narrow edge; Cornu's spiral; Fresnel's integrals. Rayleigh's criterion for resolution; Plane diffraction grating; Dispersive and resolving power of a grating.
4 Polarization: Definition; Plane, circular and elliptic polarization; Polarization by reflection; Brewster's law: Optical activity; Birefringence; Optical axis; Full-wave, half-wave and quarter-wave plates; Nicol and Wollaston prisms; Dispersion; Cauchy and Sellmeier formula; Polarization by scattering; Rayleigh scattering; Scattering phenomena in the atmosphere; Faraday, Kerr and Pockels effects; Polarization by reflection, polarization by double refraction; Brewster's law; Optical activity; Full Wave, half-Wave and quarter wave plates; Nicol &Willaston prism; Malus law; Polarization by scattering. Polarizing Microscope; Optical activity.
5. Optical Instruments: Teloscope; Spectrometer; Polarimeter Microscope;
6. Defect of images and optical instruments: Aberrations; Spherical aberration at a single surface and in lens reducing spherical operations; Coma; Astigmatism; Distortion; Chromatic aberrations; Achromatic doublets.
7. Fiber optics: Basics concepts; Principle of light propagation through optical fibers; Numerical aperture; Fiber bundles; Types of fiber, Step-index and grad index fibers; Multimode and single mode fiber; Optical fiber communications.
8. Holography: Diffraction from apertures and edges; Production of holograms; Applications of hologram. 9. The Laser Fundamental Principles; Stimulated emission; Einstein's relation; population inversion; Optical feedback; Types of lasers: Ruby, He-Ne, CO2, Argon ion, dye, Semiconductor; Applications of laser.