Wave optics and atomic physics

This unit explores topics in classical wave optics and the interactions between the photon and matter.

Optics: wave propagation and image formation, plane waves, diffraction, propagation, angular spectrum, phase contrast, interferometry, holography, focused fields, Fourier optics.

Atomic physics: Two level atoms, absorption and emission of radiation, transition probabilities and lineshapes laser cooling, dipole force and optical trapping, magnetic trapping of atoms, lasers and coherent light, laser cooling, Bose-Einstein condensation, modulation devices, optical waveguides, fibre optic communications.