Photonics (EP-3200) Tutorial 1

Date: August 24, 2016

Questions and Solutions

1. Prove that the acceptance angle of an optical fiber with refractive indices of core and cladding to be
𝑛1 and 𝑛2 respectively in air is given by
𝑁𝐴 = sin 𝜃𝑎 = (𝑛12 − 𝑛22 )0.5
Solution:
Applying Snell’s law at the air interface we get

𝑛𝑜 sin 𝜃𝑎 = 𝑛1 sin 𝜃
Now considering air medium i.e. 𝑛𝑜 = 1, and 𝜃 ′ = 90 − 𝜃 we get:
sin 𝜃𝑎 = 𝑛1 cos 𝜃′
Now for TIR considering critical angle i.e. 𝜃 ′ = 𝜃𝑐 . Now applying Snell’s law at core-cladding
interface we get
𝑛1 sin 𝜃𝑐 = 𝑛2 sin 90 = 𝑛2
Thus
𝑛2 2
cos 𝜃𝑐 = √1 − ( )
𝑛1
Substituting this in NA equation we get the final solution.
𝑁𝐴 = sin 𝜃𝑎 = (𝑛12 − 𝑛22 )0.5

2. An aeroplane is used in aerial surveying to make a map of ground details. If the scale of the map is to
be 1: 50,000 and the camera used has a focal length of 6 𝑐𝑚, determine the proper altitude for the
photograph.

3. Two beams having parallel electric fields are described by

𝜋
𝐸1 = 3 sin (𝑘1 𝑟 − 𝜔𝑡 + )
5
𝜋
𝐸2 = 4 sin (𝑘2 𝑟 − 𝜔𝑡 + )
6
With amplitudes in KV/m .The beams interfere at a point where the phase difference due to path is
𝜋/3 (the first beam having the longer path). At the point of superposition, calculate
(a) The irradiance 𝐼1 and 𝐼2 of the individual beams.
(b) The irradiance 𝐼12 due to interference
(c) The net irradiance, and
(d) The fringe visibility.
Note that irradiance is given by 𝑰 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝝐𝟎 𝒄|𝑬|𝟐
4. A thin film of air is formed between two glass plates of refractive index 1.52. The film is viewed as
shown in Fig 1. Find the condition for which the observer would see (a) maximum intensity (b)
minimum intensity?

Fig. 1
How large can the thickness of the film be, in order to observe sustained interference pattern?
Repeat the above calculations for Fig 2

Fig. 2
5. It is known from electromagnetic theory that when light is incident normally from a medium of
refractive index 𝑛1 on a medium of refractive index 𝑛2 , a fraction 𝑟 of the amplitude of the light is
𝑛 −𝑛
reflected. 𝑟 can be derived as 𝑟 = 𝑛1 +𝑛2 . The fraction of transmitted amplitude is then given by 𝑡 =
1 2
1−𝑟
a. Find the fraction of light intensity reflected from your spectacles whose refractive index is
1.67?
b. It is proposed to coat this spectacle glass with an “antireflection” coating made with
magnesium fluoride film (ref index: 1.5), so that the reflection from the glass is minimised.
What should be the thickness of the coating? Assume normal incidence conditions. What is
the fraction of light intensity reflected for this thickness?
6. A broadband source of light was transmitted through two optical filters centred around a wavelength
of 590 nm. One filter has a broad transmission width of 100 nm while the other has a narrow pass
band of 10 nm. Which filter would be better to use for an interference experiment? Compare the
coherence lengths of the light from each sources?
7. Find the linewidth in Angstroms and Hertz for laser light whose coherence length is 10 km? The
mean wavelength is 6328 Angstroms

8. The LIGO interferometer uses a source which has a linewidth of 1 MHz at 1064 nm. Calculate the
maximum allowed difference between its arm lengths.
9. A 50 𝑊 bulb radiates at a wavelength of 600 nm. Find the number of photons emitted per second.
What should be its power such that it emits a single photon per second?

10. Light of wavelength 690nm has a power of 1nW. Find the number of photons in a pencil of beam of
length
a. 3 × 108 m
b. 3m
c. 3cm
d. 3mm