2023 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Physics Graduate major in Physics
Light and Matter III
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Masaya Notomi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Thu (M-102(H115))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.C448
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this course, the instructor will explain various behaviors of light, including light propagation, optical transition, and light-mater interactions, in solid-state media. First, basic optical properties of conventional uniform media and typical anisotropic/magneto-optical crystals will be explained, and then explain how such properties change in periodic media, metallic structures, and electric circuits. The students will learn what determines the optical properties of materials and how they are limited. Furthermore, they will learn how these limitations can be overcome by introducing nanostructures.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to
(1) understand how optical dispersion and optical transition are determined in various solid-state media
(2) understand basics and characteristics of optical waveguides and optical resonators
(3) understand the origin of limitations for light confinement strength, light dispersion, and optical transition rate in conventional media
(4) understand those limitations can be overcome by introducing wavelength-scale periodic structures, metallic nanostructures, and nano-circuit elements.
Keywords
Optics, Optical dispersion, Crystal optics, Magneto-optics, Optical waveguide, Optical resonator, Optical transition, Photonic crystal, Plasmonics, Metamaterial
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lecture note will be provided. The instructor uses a projector.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Light in continuous media | Learn difference between lightwaves in matter and lightwaves in vacuum. What approximations are employed? Learn the Lorentz model. What limits light dispersion in matter? |
| Class 2 | Light in optical structures | Learn typical optical resonators. Learn typical optical waveguides. What limits light confinement? What limits waveguide dispersion? |
| Class 3 | Light in crystals | Learn basic properties of dielectric tensors Learn typical dielectric tensors for various dielectric materials |
| Class 4 | Light in periodic media | Learn the relationship between Bragg reflection and band structures in periodic systems. Learn how we can overcome the limitation of light confinement using bandgaps. Learn how we can overcome the limitation of light dispersion using band structures. |
| Class 5 | Light in metal | Learn the Drude model. Learn surface plasmon polaritons. Learn how we can overcome the limitation of light confinement using metallic nanostructures. |
| Class 6 | Light in electric circuits | Learn electromagnetic signal propagation in metallic circuits. Learn permittivity and permeability can be induced from electromagnetic circuit components. Learn one can overcome the limitation of light dispersion using metamaterials. |
| Class 7 | Imaging and light emission in dielectric media | What limits the spatial resolution of imaging? How can we overcome the limitation of imaging? Why is optical transition so slow? Can we accelerate optical transition? |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to prepare and review for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Lecture note will be provided.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None specified.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Evaluated by report (depending on the status of coronavirus) .
Related courses
- PHY.C446 ： Light and Matter I
- PHY.C447 ： Light and Matter II
Prerequisites
No prerequisites.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
notomi[at]phys.titech.ac.jp 03-5734-3831