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Title: PHE-09, Optics
Institution: Indira Gandhi National Open University, India

Level:
Degree.

Description:
Light is central to human perception. Light from all directions bombards our eyes, and our brain constructs images of objects by processing this information. As a consequence, we perceive shapes, textures, colours and motion of objects. The play of early morning sunlight on the snowcaps of mountains, the left-handed image of a mirror, the colour of crystals or the distorted view of objects under water has revealed to us deep secrets of nature. This is, perhaps, why the study of light, the phenomena associated with it, and its interaction with matter has engaged human mind for over three thousand years.

While reflecting upon the developments in the study of light today, we have chosen the most interesting and relevant themes. In this course on optics, we present the generic themes like nature of light, perception of light, interference and diffraction, apart from the latest developments in optical technology, such as lasers, holography, and fibre optics.

Block 1: Introducing Light:
1. Nature of light
2. Reflection and refraction of light
3. Perception of light
4. Polarised light

Block 2: Interference:
5. Interference
6. Multiple beam interference
7. Interferometry

Block 3: Diffraction:
8. Fresnel diffraction
9. Fraunhoffer diffraction
10. Diffraction gratings
11. Diffraction and resolution

Block 4: Lasers and their Applications:
12. Coherence
13. Physics of lasers
14. Holography
15. Fibre and integrated optics.

Assessment is by two assignments (30%) and a final examination (70%).

Programmes for which this course is required or in which it can be included:
Bachelor of Science.


Languages:
English and Hindi

Media and methods employed: Printed text, tutorial support, study centres.
Contact programme.

Administrative information:
This is a 4 credit course. A credit is approximately 30 hours of study. 120 hours of study will therefore be required on this course.

Classification:
070430 PHYSICS


Date: 23 July 1998 bb
Source: 1997 Institution Update

© 1999 International Centre for Distance Learning, The Open University

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