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Units & Contents of the Subject
I. Interference of Light
Preliminary:[ Interference as superposition of waves in
space. Intensity variation. Bright and dark fringes.Fringe width.
Conditions for observing interference of Light.]
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Newton’s Rings: Theory
and experiment for determining wavelength of light and refractive index
of liquid
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Michelson’s
Interferometer: Production of circular & straight line fringes,
Determination of wavelength of light, Determination of wavelength
separation of two nearby wavelengths
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Interference in Optical
Technology: elementary idea of anti reflection coating and interference
filters
Polarization of Light
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Plane, circular and
elliptically polarized light on the basis of electric (light) vector,
Malus Law
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Double Refraction:
Qualitative description of refraction, Phase retardation plates, Quarter
and half wave plates construction working and use of these in production
and detection of circular and elliptically polarized light
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Optical Activity:
Optical activity and law of optical rotation, Specific rotation and its
measurement using the half shade and Bi-quartz devices
II. Diffraction of Light and Holography:
Preliminary: [Diffraction as a consequence of limiting
wavefront. Fresnel’s and Fraunhofer’s diffraction. Interference and
Diffraction. Diffraction at single slit qualitative description.]
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Single Slit Diffraction:
Quantitative description of single slit, Positions of maxima / minima
and width of central maximum, Intensity variation
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Diffraction Grating:
Construction and theory, Formation of spectrum by plane transmission
grating, Missing and overlapping of spectra, Determination of wavelength
of light using plane transmission grating
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Resolving Power:
Geometrical & Spectral, Reyleigh criterion, Resolving power of
diffraction grating, Electron microscope and its resolving power
Holography
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Holography versus
photography, Basic theory of holography, Basic requirement of a
holographic laboratory
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Application of
holography in microscopy and interferrometry
III. Coherence
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Spatial and temporal
coherence, Coherence length, Coherent time and ‘Q’ factor for light
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Visibility as a measure
of coherence
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Spatial coherence and
size of the source
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Temporal coherence and
spectral purity
Lasers
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Theory of Laser Action:
Einstein’s coefficients components of a laser, Threshold condition for
laser action
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Theory, design and
application of He-Ne and Semiconductor lasers
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Elementary ideas of
Q-switching and mode locking
Optical Fibers
IV. Quantum Mechanics:
Preliminary: [Origin of
quantum nature of light: Black body radiation and photoelectric effect.
Unability of wave theory of light to explain photoelectric effect.
Einstein Photoelectric Equation. De-Broglie Matter waves. Uncertainity
principle]
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Compton effect and
quantum nature of light
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Schrödinger’s Wave
Equation: Time dependent and time independent cases
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Physical interpretation
of wave function and its properties, boundary conditions
Applications of Schrödinger’s Equation
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Particle in one and
three dimensional boxes
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Degeneracy barrier
penetration and tunnel effect
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Tunneling probability,
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decay
Sommerfield’s Free Electron Gas Model
V. Special Theory of Relativity and Nuclear Detectors
Preliminary:
[Classical theory of relativity and Galalian Transformations. Michelson
Morley Experiment. Explanation of negative result.]
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Postulates of special
theory of relativity, Lorentz transformations relativity of length, mass
and time
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Relativistic velocity
addition, Mass – Energy relation
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Relativistic energy
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Velocity of light in
moving media, Sagnac’s formula and its application in optical gyroscopes
Nuclear Radiation Detectors
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Characteristics of gas
filled detectors: general considerations
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Construction, working
and properties of : Ionization chamber, Proportional Counter, G.M.
Counter and Scintillation counter
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