Introduction to optical technologies – Institut für Transport- und Automatisierungstechnik

Optical technologies use light for communication, lighting, sensing, material processing, and computing. This course provides an introduction to optical technologies with a focus on the theory necessary to understand and describe modern optical devices.

After successfully completing the module, students are able to
(Qualification goals)
- Understand Maxwell’s equations and the properties of light.
- Understand the optical properties of matter and the interaction of light with matter.
- Calculate reflection and transmission.
- Understand diffraction and interference.
- Understand guided propagation.
- Understand the working principle of a selection of optical devices, such as LEDs, displays, LASERs, flat lenses, solar cells, etc.

Module content
- Maxwell’s equations and properties of light.
- Light propagation: reflection and refraction.
- Optical properties of matter: anisotropy, absorption and dispersion
- Guided propagation: introduction to waveguides and fiber optics
- Examples of modern optical technologies