Optical Systems Program of Studies Version 1.0 April 2012 Standard1 Essential Understand Optical experimental methodology, data analysis, interpretation, and presentation strategies Essential Understandings: A1. 1.a,b,c: a) Quantitative Experimental data comes with intrinsic singlemeasurement range of uncertainty that defines resolution of data. b) Single measurement uncertainty can be determined by calibration. c) Collections of measurements can be represented graphically with intrinsic error represented by error bars. A1. 1 d. e. f: d) Data is collected for comparison to quantitative model e) The goal of experimental presentations is to communicate the degree to which experimental data agrees with to predictions of the model. f) Comparison to models with linear dependencies is done through linear regression (an example of more general parametric curve fitting). Benchmark 1.a Essential Students perform forty (40 ) experiments using Microwave emitters and detectors, coherent, and incoherent visible light. Indicator 1.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of experimental methodology, data analysis, interpretation, and presentation methods by preparing and presenting research reports in the forms of websites and presentations of experimental scenarios and results from eight (8) experiments in which they present the results and interpretation of their own experimental data as well as data collected from of the rest of the class (at least 3 other experimental groups). Indicator 1.a.2 Essential Students demonstrate mastery of measurement error reporting, identification of outliers, error propagation for derived quantities, linear regression, curve fitting, and a variety of statistical tests by using them to prepare and present quantitative research reports for at least five (5) experiments.
Indicator 1.a.3 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of error analysis and experimental scaling behaviors by using them to improve the design, execution, and quantitative results for at least two (2) experiments (e.g. microwave two slit interference and optical interferometry). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard2 Essential Understand Fundamental Wave Properties of Electromagnetic Waves, including wave speed, wavelength, frequency, phase, superposition, standing waves, polarization, and intensity as a description of energy transport Essential Understandings A2.1.a,b,c,d: a) Students understand the wavelength x frequency = speed relationship for travelling sine waves. b) Students understand that standing waves result from superposition of travelling waves between reflecting walls. c) Students understand nodes and anti-nodes and their relationship to wavelength for a standing wave pattern. d) Students can relate wave classical wave model to ray model. A2. 1. e,f,g,h: e) Students understand how boundary conditions between two media relate to reflection and refraction. f) Students understand that constant frequency across boundary and different wave speeds lead to bending of waves and rays. g) Students understand and can apply Snell s Law h) Students understand the relationship between Snell s Law and total internal reflection. Benchmark 2.a Essential Students perform an indirect measurement of the speed of light from heating patterns of standing microwaves in a microwave oven. Indicator 2.a.1Essential Students demonstrate understanding of relationship between wavelength, frequency and speed of light waves by using observations of standing-wave heating patterns in a microwave oven to determine the speed of electromagnetic waves. Benchmark 2.b Optional
Students perform a (traditional) direct measurement of the speed of light using time of flight measurements between rotating mirrors. Indicator 2.b.1 Optional Students present their experimental data from the aforementioned experiment with an emphasis on the resolution and error of this experiment. They use their data to estimate the speed of visible light and quantify the measurement s accuracy and precision. Benchmark 2.c Essential Students use resonant standing waves of known frequency in a microwave Lloyd s mirror to measure the wavelength of microwave radiation and thereby obtain another estimate of the speed of light. Indicator 2.c.1 Essential Students prepare a presentation of experimental results that exploits standing wave properties to determine the speed of microwaves in Lloyd s mirror. The report includes a fundamental explanation of standing waves taking into account boundary conditions at the surface of a reflecting conductor. Benchmark 2.d Essential Students use refraction to measure the reduced speed of light and wavelengths of electromagnetic waves through transparent medium in a variety of microwave and optical experiments. Indicator 2.d.1 Essential Students prepare a research report and presentation to explain refraction as a consequence of speed difference between media and use this to determine speed of light of microwaves in styrene and visible light in a variety of transparent media from their experimental data. Indicator 2.d.2 Essential Students prepare a research report and presentation to explain refraction as a consequence of speed difference between media and use this to determine speed of visible light in styrene and a collection of other materials. Students compare the speed of microwaves to visible light in medium with measurable dispersion. Benchmark 2.e Essential Students perform microwave experiments sending microwaves through a bent styrene tube; making careful measurements of the fall off of transmission at a critical curvature of the tube. Indicator 2.e.1 Essential Students present an analysis of the measurement of microwave propagation through a bent styrene tube that uses the failure of total internal reflection to confirm other measurements of the index of refraction of microwaves in styrene.
Indicator 2.e.2 Essential Students explain refraction as a consequence of speed difference between media and use this to determine speed of light of microwaves in styrene and visible light in a variety of transparent media. Benchmark 2.f Essential Students perform experiments to determine the Intensity and polarization of radiation from a Microwave emitter. Indicator 2.f.1 Essential Students present and interpret power graphs for the emitters for Microwave emitter and detector in a research report. Benchmark 2.g Essential Students perform experiments to determine intensity and power spectrum from incoherent and coherent light sources. Indicator 2.g.1 Essential Students present and interpret intensity data collected from light meters and spectrum analyzers in a research report. Benchmark 2.h Essential Students perform experiments to demonstrate a) fall off in gaussian microwave beam and b) the inverse square law of intensity fall-off from a spherically symmetric light source. Indicator 2.h.1 Essential Students present and interpret intensity vs distance data collected from microwave detector and light meters in a research report. They demonstrate understanding of distance dependence of intensity by predicting and confirming intensity measurements extrapolated from near source measurements using the inverse square law. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard3 Essential Understand Optical Phenomenology understood as a consequence of the Superposition Properties of Electromagnetic Waves Essential Understandings A3.1.a,b,c,d: a) Students understand monochromatic and coherent sources;
b) Students understand spatial interference patterns as a consequence of fixed relative phase relations; c) Students understand the geometry of nodes and anti-nodes and their relationship to wavelength and slit geometry for a two-slit interference; d) Students understand the generalization from two-slit to a diffraction grating. e) Students understand a variety of applications to interferometers Benchmark 3.a Essential Students perform single-slit diffraction experiments in Microwave, incoherent visible, and coherent visible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Indicator 3.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate understanding of diffraction by preparing lab report and presentation to explain single slit diffraction data using the principle of superposition and Huygen s principle in the classical wave picture for diffraction through a single slit in experimental reports for single slit diffraction of Microwaves and Visible Light. Benchmark 3.b Essential Students perform double slit and diffraction grating diffraction experiments in Microwave, incoherent visible, and coherent visible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Indicator 3.b.1 Essential Students explain interference results using the principle of superposition in the classical wave picture in their experimental reports for two slit and transmission gratings. Students interpret intensity measurements and the measured positions of minima and maxima of diffraction patterns in terms of constructive and destructive superposition (interference). Benchmark 3.c Essential Students perform a variety of standing wave interferometry experiments to measure wavelengths of Microwaves. Indicator 3.c.1 Essential Students use simulations, graphs, and formulas for the positions of maximum and minima to interpret and explain experimental results for standing waves in the classical wave picture using fundamental superposition in research reports on Michelson interferometry and Lloyd s Mirror. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard4 Essential Understand Applications of Ray Optics Models including Imaging in Lens Systems and properties of reflection and refraction. Essential Understandings A4 1.a,b,c,d,e,f,g: a) Students understand ray model as a limit of wave model and as a consequence of Fermat s principle b) Students understand the one-to-one definition of an image c) Students understand the advantages and disadvantages of a pinhole camera d) Students understand the difference between a real and virtual image e) Students understand how flat mirrors and thin lenses create images f) Students understand the properties of parabolic and elliptical mirrors g) Students understand ray diagrams for simple optical systems h) Students understand how to model and compute imaging properties of simple optical systems and devices including image distances, magnifications, real-vs-virtual, and image orientation. Benchmark 4a Essential Students build a pinhole camera and observe the properties of the camera image. Indicator 4.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of rays and image formation for the pinhole camera by preparing scale drawings with correct geometry for the pinhole camera. Students evaluate the pinhole camera as an image creator, light collector, and describe its limitations due to diffraction. Students prepare a critical presentation on the advantages and limitations of the pinhole camera. Benchmark 4.b Essential Students perform a collection of ten (10) experiments with thin lens systems; including measurements of image forming systems with convergent and divergent lenses. Indicator 4.b.1 Essential
Students create complete geometric diagrams for each experiment and use them to create diagram-centered presentations and reports of each of the lens systems. The reports start from first geometric principles ( reflection, refraction, and the thin lens approximation) and use plane geometry to make predictions of image properties from object placements and lens properties. Indicator 4.b.2 Essential Students demonstrate understanding of thin lens systems by designing a simple microscope or telescope, building, and then testing the device. Indicator 4.b.3 Optional Students demonstrate understanding of a two component thin lens system by writing a computer program that draws three primary rays for such systems and computes characteristics of image propagation. Benchmark 4.c Essential Students investigate applications of the law of reflection, including image formation in mirrors, light collection, total internal reflection, and some dish antenna designs through a series of seven (7) observational experiments. Indicator 4.c.1 Essential Students demonstrate understanding of applications of the law of reflection by deriving the formula for the shape of the perfect light collection mirror and proving the focusing properties of an ellipse from first principles. Students produce a slide show of images of the experimental examples of these phenomena complete with overlaid rays diagrams explaining the image formation process. Emphasis is on creating scale diagrams by precise use of geometric properties of rays (classical constructions). Benchmark 4.d Optional Students present derivation of the laws of reflection and refraction (Snell s Law) as a consequence of Fermat s Principle Indicator 4.d.1 Students demonstrate their understanding of Fermat s principle of least time by using it to derive the basic properties of ray propagation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard5 Essential Understand Polarization Properties of Electromagnetic Waves Essential Understandings
A5 1.a,b,c,d,e,f: a) Students understand the relationship between Electric Field and Polarization in the classical wave picture. b) Students understand the difference between linear and circular polarization. c) Students understand the operation of linear and circular polarization filters for visible light and microwaves. d) Students understand how dipole antennas produce linearly polarized microwaves and dipole detectors preferentially detect polarized waves. e) Students understand polarization through scattering for visible light and the meaning of Brewster s angle. f) Students understand multiple common applications of polarization. Benchmark 5.a Essential Students perform three experiments with linear polarized Microwaves and two with linear and circularly polarized visible light. Indicator 5.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of Polarization in a prepared presentation on their measurement of Brewster s angle. Indicator 5.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of linear polarization by characterizing a linearly polarized (diode ) microwave source and the polarization dependence of a common detector through the introduction of intermediate polarizers. Students confirm predictions made with experimental observations. Indicator 5.a.2 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of Polarization in a lab report and presentation of their measurement of the intensity of microwave radiation transmitted by a sequence of polaroid filters. Students determine the transmission coefficient of such a filter as a function of the relative polarization angle. Benchmark 5.b Essential Students perform a series of experiments to verify the dependence of transmission coefficients for visible light through a sequence of linear and circular polarizers. Indicator 5.b.1 Essential
Students demonstrate their understanding of Linear and Circular polarization of visible light by preparing a report and presentation that carefully analyze class data for the polarization experiments. The report determines the angular dependence of transmission coefficients for sequences of linear and circular polarizers. Indicator 5.b.2 Optional Students demonstrate the utility of polarization optics by collecting common applications by internet search. The exercise is conducted as a team sport with two teams competing to find the largest number of unique applications. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard6 Essential Understand Overview of Physical Processes at Scales Associated to Parts of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and the use of Spectra to determine physical properties of systems Essential Understandings A6 1.a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h: a) Students understand the variety of natural processes that produce Electromagnetic radiation at various wavelengths. b) Students understand the difference between discrete and continuous spectra and the form of thermal (blackbody) spectra. c) Students understand the relationship between wavelength, frequency, energy, and time scales associated to the various named band of the Electromagnetic spectrum d) Students understand energy, length, and time units adapted to various scales (e.g. electron volts, nanometers, nanoseconds, etc.) e) Students understand the scale of processes associated to atomic and molecular transitions and the characteristics of ionizing radiation f) Students understand the relationship between emission and absorption spectra and their uses g) Students understand the scale of processes associated to nuclear transitions. h) Students understand how spectra are used to collect constitutive and temperature information about systems physical systems Benchmark 6.a Essential
Students study the division of the electromagnetic spectrum into common ranges including their energies, wavelengths, and frequencies; associating to each typical production processes. Indicator 6.a.1 Optional Demonstrate their understanding by preparing a presentation contrasting the characteristics of two parts of the spectrum Indicator 6.a.2 Essential Demonstrate their understanding of the variation in properties of the spectrum by preparing a presentation in which they identify distinct physical environments in which a particular part of the spectrum is the dominant carrier of energy and information. Benchmark 6.b Essential Students study the operation of spectrometers including tabletop absorption spectrometers for chemical and biological applications and spectrometers used in astronomical and other field applications. Indicator 6.b.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of emission spectra by using a spectrometer to identify select atomic emission spectra. Indicator 6.b.2 Optional Students interested in chemical applications demonstrate their understanding of absorption spectra by using absorption spectra data from a table top spectrometer to identify a simple compound. Benchmark 6.c Essential Students understand the basic physics of emission and absorption spectra and the relationship to atomic physics (i.e. the spectra of atoms). Indicator 6.c.3 Essential Students demonstrate understanding of the applications of spectral analysis and other optical techniques by preparing an extensive presentation of at least five(5) distinct applications of optics and spectral analysis in any ONE particular area of science or engineering of their choosing; for instance, the use of solar spectra in Astronomy, transmission spectra to identify compounds in Biology and Chemistry, Telecommunications, Optical networks, or a sufficiently involved project application ; e.g. on the Mars rovers, to laser Surgery, etc.. Students must address a technical challenge and problem in optics that was solved in order to achieve the project goal. Benchmark 6.b Optional Students investigate optical and electromagnetic properties of biological systems including human vision and color perception through vision and perception experiments as well as background reading.
Indicator 6.b.1 Optional Students demonstrate their understanding of the functional implications of the properties of electromagnetic fields in biological systems by identifying how electromagnetic waves and interactions encode and transfer information, determine stable structures, and mediate information transfers in (human) biological systems. Indicator 6.b.2 Optional Students prepare a presentation on the (subspace of) perceptible colors in the visible part of the power spectrum. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard7 Essential Understand Basic Implications of Quantization (Photons) for Photodetector systems Essential Understandings A7 1.a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h: a) Students understand that electromagnetic radiation is quantized into photons and the relationship to measured intensity. b) Students understand that photons can be assigned definite energies and wavelengths OR positions but not both at the same time c) Students understand the role of Planck s constant in computing energies and can contrast this with the classical assignment of energy to electromagnetic waves. d) Students understand the demonstration of quantization in the Photoelectric effect experiment e) Students understand that most solid-state detectors, including biological detectors, work by producing a photocurrent. f) Students understand that detector sensitivity can be described by the minimum number of photons required to produce an photocurrent above background noise g) Students understand dark current as background noise of photo detectors. Benchmark 7.a Essential Students understand the basic physics of a variety of solid state and other photomultiplying detector technologies by performing calibration of a number of sensitive detectors.
Indicator 7.a.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of the discrete nature of photon detection techniques in their analysis of the sensitivity of solid state detectors in a calibration exercise. Benchmark 7.b Essential Students understand the demonstrated quantum nature of light in the Photoelectric effect. Indicator 7.b.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of the Photo Electric Effect by performing the and interpreting the results of the experiment. In particular, they use their data to demonstrate that the onset of the photo current is independent of the intensity of the light. They use their results to obtain measurement of the work function of the metal and of Planck s constant. Indicator 7.b.2 Optional Students demonstrate their understanding of the Photo Electric Effect by using measurements of the properties of Light Emitting Diodes to obtain a collection of independent measurements of Planck s constant. Benchmark 7.c Optional Students understand the sensitivity of photographic detection for solid state (CCD and CMOS) detectors and photographic film through the analysis of data collected with these sensors. Indicator 7.c.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of photographic detectors through an analysis of image data collected in progressively lower light situations. Students graph photon estimates vs image quality to understand signal to noise ratios in these devices. Benchmark 7.d Essential Students understand the sensitivity of the human vision system (i,e, the retina as a photo-detector). Indicator 7.d.1 Optional Students prepare a presentation on the photochemistry behind the human vision system. The report must explain the resolution and timing constraints of the system and produce an estimate of the minimum number of photons that can be detected in optimal circumstances. Indicator 7.d.2 Optional Students prepare a presentation explaining the relative sensitivity of the color enabled and color-free parts of the human vision system; comparing and contrasting the sensitivities of the two parts of the system.
Benchmark 7.d. Optional Students prepare a purely quantum derivation of the law of reflection. Indicator 7.d.1 Students demonstrate their understanding of the laws of composition of quantum amplitudes in parallel to explain the law of reflection from a plane mirror. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard8 Essential Understand Fundamentals of Holography including light field reconstruction, transmission and reflection holograms. Essential Understandings A8 1.a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h: a) Students understand the encoding of interference patterns from object and reference beams in a recording medium. b) Students understand light field reconstruction from a recorded interference pattern. c) Students understand the difference between transmission and reflection holograms. d) Students understand the limitations of holographic reconstruction. e) Students understand the technical challenges of making holograms, including vibration, phase stability, and coherence. Benchmark 8.a Optional Students read about and watch an online video lecture about light field reconstruction and its relationship to holography. Benchmark 8.a Essential Students read a synopsis of the original argument by Gabor for the creation of holographic light field reconstruction. They review component ideas of amplitudes, intensity, and interference and the interference equation governing encoding and decoding of hologram in a medium. Indicator 8.a.1 Optional Students demonstrate understanding of light field reconstruction by reproducing the simplest reflection holographic light field reconstruction argument from the principle of (quantum) superposition. Indicator 8.a.2 Optional
Students prepare a presentation on the state of the art in digital holography. Benchmark 8.b Essential Students create a transmission hologram Indicator 8.b.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of holography by making a transmission hologram Benchmark 8.c Essential Students attempt to create a reflection hologram Indicator 8.c.1 Essential Students demonstrate their understanding of holography by attempting to make a reflection hologram.