EE 3130 Introduction to Optoelectronic Engineering

Lesson 2
Fundamentals
 Light in homogeneous medium (1.1)
 Fresnel’s equations (1.6)
 Coherence (1.9)
 ABCD matrix

Edited by Shang‐Da Yang (楊尚達)

National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
 2‐1
2

 Light in homogeneous medium

 Monochromatic plane wave

 Gaussian beam
 Monochromatic plane waves 3

 The e‐field of a x‐polarized, +z‐going monochromatic

plane wave is: Ex(z,t) = E0cos(tkz + 0), where
E0 = amplitude
k = wavenumber = 2/ ( = wavelength)
 = angular frequency = 2 ( = frequency)
0 = phase constant; specifying the “timing” of the
sinusoid, i.e. the field value at (z = 0, t = 0).
 the phase at arbitrary (z,t) is  = (tkz + 0)
 Phasor 4

 Since exp(j) = cos + jsin, 

Ex(z,t) = E0cos(tkz + 0) = Re{Ecexp[j(tkz)]},
where Ec = E0exp(j0) is a complex number (phasor)
representing the amplitude and timing of a
monochromatic plane wave.
 Superposition of different plane waves of the same
color can be calculated by superposition of phasors.
 Phase velocity 5

 The field “peak” occurs when (z,t) satisfies  =

(tkz + 0) = 0, for cos(0) = 1 is the maximum.
 If 0 = 0, a field peak occurs at (z=0,t=0). At a latter
moment t = t, the peak moves to z = z, where
tkz = 0 is satisfied.
 The peak travels at a “phase velocity” of
z 
v    
t k
 An alternative derivation is taking time derivative
for (z,t) = 0,  kz'(t) = 0, v  z'(t) = /k.
Plane wave along arbitrary direction 6

 The e‐field of a monochromatic plane wave

traveling along k is: E (r,t) = E0cos(tkr + 0),
where the bold symbols denote vector quantities.
 Why plane waves? 7

 E0cos(t‐kr+0) is a special (the simplest) solution

to the Maxwell’s wave equation in an unbounded
homogeneous medium:
2E 2E 2E 2E
 2  2   o r  o 2  0
x 2
y z t
 Strictly speaking, it’s unrealistic for an infinitely big
source of unlimited power is needed to generate it.
 Still a good approximation in most cases when the
beam size is much larger than .
 Spherical waves 8

 Another special solution to the Maxwell’s wave

equation in an unbounded homogeneous medium:
 A
E (r , t )  cos(t  kr )
r

 Strictly speaking, it’s unrealistic for a point source

of zero volume is needed to generate it.
 Useful in diffraction analysis where a real source
can be decomposed into infinitely many point
sources.
 Diverging waves 9

Single k, no Radially A finitely

divergence distributed k's, spread k's,
extreme finite
divergence divergence
 Gaussian beam 10

 A special solution to the simplified wave equation

under single‐ “paraxial” approximation:
 2u  2u u  jkz
  2 jk  0, where E ( r )  u ( x , y , z )  e .
x 2
y 2
z envelope carrier
 Intensity profile 11

 Circularly symmetric Gaussian function:

I(r,z) = (P/Aeff)exp(‐2r2/w2), where

 P = total power (constant),

 r = (x2+y2)0.5,
 w = beam radius (function of z),
where 86% of power is within a
Ipeak
circle of radius w.
 Ipeak = P/Aeff, where the
effective area Aeff = w2/2.
 Raleigh range z0 12

 The beam radius is w  wo 1  z z0 2 , z0 = (w0)2/.

 The beam area at z = z0 is twice of the waist area.
 The beam is roughly collimated within |z|< z0.
 Beam divergence angle 2 = 2(w/z|z>>z0) = 2/(w0).
 E.g. He‐Ne laser, w0 = 1 mm,  z0  5 m, 2  0.02.
 Wavefront 13

 u(r) is complex. The phase of u(r) consists of:

(1) transversal term: ‐kr2/(2R), where R = [z2+(z0)2]/z,
(2) longitudinal term (Gouy phase): tan‐1(z/z0)

Wavefront
 Why Gaussian beams? 14

 Produced by conventional lasers with a cavity made

of curved mirrors.
 The second simplest solution to the wave equation
(after the plane waves).
 Sufficient to accurately analyze the propagation and
focusing of most laser beams (except for those
confined in optical waveguides), while the plane
wave model is too rough to describe focusing.
 2‐2
15

 Fresnel’s equations
 Reflection & transmission coefficients

 Reflectance & transmittance

 Total internal reflection (TIR) &

frustrated TIR (FTIR)
 Plane wave with an arbitrary k 16

 For a plane wave of wave vector k = (kx,ky,kz), e‐field

phasor is E(r) = E0exp[‐j(kr)], where E0 = (Ex,Ey,Ez) is
the vector phasor amplitude [i.e. E(r=0)].
 By the Faraday’s law: E = ‐jH,
     
x y z x y z

  E   x  y  z   jk x  jk y  jk z
Ex Ey Ez Ex Ey Ez
 unit vector
 in k
    k  E ak  E   0
  jk  E   jH ,  H   ,   .
  k  n
wave imped. index
 H(r) = H0exp[‐j(kr)], where H0 = (akE0)/.
 Transverse electric (TE) waves 17

 E  k,  E can be decomposed into two orthogonal

components on a plane normal to k.
 TE: The e‐field component transversal to the
interface (y = 0), i.e. normal to the plane of
incidence (yz‐plane), thus with a symbol E ( x).

 H = (akE)/ [
n2 (0, ‐sini, cosi)].
n1

Hi,
Transverse magnetic (TM) waves 18

 TM: The magnetic field component transversal to

the interface (y = 0), i.e. e‐field parallel to the plane
of incidence (yz‐plane), thus with a symbol E// ( x).
 H// = (akE//)/ ( x).

n2
Ei,// n1
Oblique incidence: phasor amplitudes 19

 E.g. Incident TE wave: ki = n1k0(0,cosi,sini), Ei0 =

Ei0,(‐1,0,0), Ei0, is the scalar phasor amplitude.
 E.g. Reflected TM wave: kr = n1k0(0,‐cosr,sinr), Er0 =
Er0,//(0,‐sinr,‐cosr).

n2
n1
 Boundary conditions 20

 
 E = ‐jB,   E  dl  0, tangential E‐field Et is
C
continuous across the boundary E1t = E2t.
 
 H = J + jD,  H  dl  0, tangential H‐field Ht is
 C
continuous across the boundary H1t = H2t (if Js = 0).
 TE (E) field components 21

 Et at y=0‐: Ei0, + Er0,,

 Et at y=0+: Et0,,
 Ht at y=0‐: (Ei0, /1)cosi – (Er0,/1)cosr,
 Ht at y=0+: (Et0,/2)cost.

n2
Ht, n1

Hi, Hr,
 TE (E) formulas 22

 The two complex equations (four real ones) lead to:

(1) Reflection law: i = r,
(2) Snell’s law: n1sini = n2sint,
(3) Reflection coefficient:
Er 0 ,  cos  i  n 2  sin 2  i n2
r   , where n 
Ei 0, cos  i  n  sin  i
2 2 n1
index contrast
(4) Transmission coefficient
Et 0, 2 cos  i
t   , where r  1  t 
Ei 0, cos  i  n  sin  i
2 2
 TM (E//) formulas 23

 Different tangential E‐ and H‐fields leads to:

(1) Reflection law: i = r,
(2) Snell’s law: n1sini = n2sint,
(3) Reflection coefficient:
Er 0, // n 2  sin 2  i  n 2 cos  i
r//  
Ei 0, // n 2  sin 2  i  n 2 cos  i

(4) Transmission coefficient

Et 0, // 2n cos  i
t //   , where r//  nt //  1
Ei 0, // n cos  i  n  sin  i
2 2 2
 Internal reflection (n = n2/n1 < 1) 24

 |r//| = 0 when i = p = tan‐1(n) <45 … Brewster’s angle

 Im{r}  0 only if i > c … total internal reflection (TIR)

(n = 0.69)
TE
TE

Normal TM
incidence TM r// < 0
 TIR phase change 25

 When i > c,  sint = sini/n > 1, sini > n,

reflection coefficients become complex:
cos i  n 2  sin 2 i cos i  j sin 2 i  n 2
r    TE
cos i  n  sin i
2 2
cos i  j sin i  n
2 2

sin 2
  n 2
 TE  r  2 tan 1 ( i
)
cos i
n 2  sin 2  i  n 2 cos  i j sin 2  i  n 2  n 2 cos  i
r//    TM
n  sin  i  n cos  i
2 2 2
j sin  i  n  n cos  i
2 2 2

sin 2
  n 2
 TM  r//  2 tan 1 ( i
)
n cos  i
2
External reflection (n = n2/n1 > 1) 26

 Brewster’s angle remains p = tan‐1(n) > 45.

 Im{r} = 0 always, no TIR.

(n = 1.44) TM

TE
 Reflectance & transmittance 27

 Intensity is proportional to n(E0)2 (why?),

(1) R = |r|2,
(2) T = |t|2, where  = (n2cost)/(n1cosi), for the
transmitted beam has a different tilt angle and
propagates in a different medium from the incident.
 For normal incidence (i = 0),
(1) R = R = R// = [(n1‐n2)/(n1+n2)]2. E.g. R = 4% for
air‐glass interface.
(2) T = T = T// = 1‐R.
 Total internal reflection (TIR) 28

 When i > c, Snell’s law gives an imaginary t.

 In reality, the transmitted field decays along +y and
propagate along +z: Et,  exp(‐2y)exp[j(t‐kizz)],
2 
2n2 sin 2 i
1
 n 2

 Penetration
depth  = 1/2.
 Frustrated TIR (FTIR) 29

 When layer B is not much thicker than , an

attenuated beam emerges in medium C.
 Application: Beam splitter 30

 The transmitted power ratio can be controlled by

the thickness of the low‐index film.

Incident

(Top view)
 2‐3
31

 Coherence
 Temporal coherence

 Spatial coherence
 Coherence time (1) 32

 The time interval t such that E(t0) and E(t0+t) are

correlated, i.e. one can predict E(t0+t) given E(t0).
 E0cos(t‐kz+0) has perfect coherence (t  ),
 ‐like spectrum (  0).
t


 Coherence time (2) 33

 A wave packet of envelope width t,  a spectrum

of bandwidth   1/t.
 Coherence time (3) 34

 A white light noise has no coherence (t  0),  a

flat spectrum of infinite bandwidth (  ).

 Coherence time t is roughly equal to the inverse of

bandwidth (1/).
 Coherence length (not spatial coherence) is l = ct.
 Coherence of real light sources 35

 Hg‐vapor arc lamp:

0 = 546.1 nm,  = 1 nm,
  = 1 THz, t = 1 ps,
l = 0.3 mm.
www.wikipedia.org

 External cavity diode laser:

0 = 1550 nm,  = 0.4 pm,
  = 50 MHz, t = 20 ns,
l = 6 m.
www.agilent.com
 Spatial coherence 36

 The transversal extent x (not longitudinal l) such

that waves emitted from x0 and x0+x are correlated.
Source
P
c Spatially coherent
Q source

c Spatially
incoherent source
Space
 Spatial‐temporal coherence 37

Temporal coherence; x
Spatial incoherence
l

Spatial coherence;
x
Temporal incoherence
l

Spatial and temporal x

incoherence
Source: R. Trebino l
 Coherent vs. incoherent light 38

 Uni‐directional vs. omni‐directional

 Superposition of individual fields (Etot = E1+E2+…) vs.
superposition of individual intensities (Itot = I1+I2+…)
 2‐4
39

 ABCD matrix
 Ray vector 40

 In ray optics, light propagation is treated as

“paraxial rays”. No polarization, no phase.
 At any observation plane (z = z0), a ray can be
represented by its “displacement” (x) and “tilt
angle” (  0) with respect to the reference axis.
 Mathematically, a ray equals a 21 vector: [x, ]T.
ray

reference (z) axis

z = z0
 ABCD matrix 41

 [x, ] changes as light propagates or passes

through an optical element (e.g. lens).

 A 22 matrix models the

impact of free‐space
propagation or an optical
element.
 Cascaded optical components 42

 The impact of a system consisting of N cascaded

elements (with ABCD matrices M1, M2, M3, …, MN)
is modeled by a matrix M = MN  …  M2  M1.
 Example: A distance in the air 43

 xout = xin + dtanin  xin + din, if   0.

 out = in.
1 d 
 The corresponding matrix must be M    , for
 0 1 
 x   x  d    1 d   x 
 out    in in
      in 
      0 1   
 out   in     in 
 Example: Planar boundary 44

 xout = xin.
 By Snell’s law, n1sinin = n2sinout,  n1in  n2out,
out  (n1/n2)in.
1 0 
 The corresponding matrix must be M    ,
 0 1 n 
where n  n2/n1.
 Example: Spherical boundary 45

 xout = xin.
 in = 1 – s, out = 2 – s, where s  xin/R, R (>0 if
convex, <0 if concave) is the radius of curvature.
 n11  n22,  out  1/n – s = (in + s)/n – s =
[(1/n)‐1](xin/R) + in/n.
  1 0 normal
M   (1 n ) 1 1
 
 R n

reference axis
 Example: Spherical mirror 46

 xout = xin.
 in = 1 + s, out = 2 – s, s  xin/R, where R < 0 if
convex, R > 0 if concave.
 1 = 2,  out  1 – s = in – 2s = (‐2/R)xin + in.

 1 0
M   R 
 1
 2 
 Example: Telescope (1) 47

 A telescope is made up of two convex lenses with

focal lengths f1 and f2.
 You can prove that the ABCD matrix of a lens of
local length fi is
 1 0
Mi   
 1 / f i 1 
 Example: Telescope (2) 48

 The system is decomposed into three cascaded

elements: {lens1, air path of length f1+f2 , lens2}, 
 1 0 1 f1  f 2   1 0    f 2 f1 f1  f 2 
M          
 1 / f 1  0 1   1 / f 1   0  f1 f 2 
 2   1  

 A far object of height H (vector [H,0]T) is mapped to

a reversed image of height h, where h = ‐(f2/f1)H
comes from
 H  h 
M      .
 0   0 
 Key points 49

 What are the meanings of Raleigh range z0 of a

Gaussian beam?
 Why the reflection of oblique incidence depends
on the direction of e‐field (TE/TM)?
 What is the difference between temporal
coherence and spatial coherence?
 How to analyze an optical system by ABCD matrix
technique?