PHOTONICS

Bachelor in Physics
Academic Year 2022-2023. Group B.

Exercises Lesson 1.

1.1.- (from past exams) Consider a plane wave travelling along the z axis in a medium as 𝐴⃗ 𝑒 . Which
of these two complex refractive indices 𝑛 = 3 + 5𝑖 and 𝑛 = 3 − 5𝑖 represents an absorbing medium?
Justify your answer.

1.2.- Ordinary glass has an attenuation around 400000 dB/km for a certain frequency. Attenuation occurs in the
same direction as the wave propagation. a) Calculate the distance z for which the intensity I(z) = I(0)/10 b)
Calculate the optical density of the glass. c) Calculate the imaginary part of the refractive index considering λ0 =
500 nm.

1.3.- (from past exams) The intensity of a linearly polarized wave of frequency 𝜔 = 10 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 becomes 10
times smaller when propagating 10 μm through a certain medium. Knowing that the real part of the refractive
index is 2, calculate the reflectance that occurs when said wave falls from a vacuum normally on said medium.
Hint: The reflectance at normal incidence at the interface between two media 1 and 2 with complex refractive
indices n1 and n2, is given by: 𝑅 = |𝑛 − 𝑛 | /|𝑛 + 𝑛 | .

1.4.- The refractive index of hydrogen gas is n = 1.000132 for λ = 589 nm and n = 1.0001547 for λ = 254 nm.
Assuming there is only one resonant frequency, calculate that frequency and the number of oscillators per unit
volume.

1.5.- (from past exams) Consider a material medium with two resonance frequencies, ω1, ω2, whose complex
refractive index is given by:

𝜔 𝑓 𝑓
𝑛 =1+ +
2 𝜔 − 𝜔 − 𝑖Γ ω 𝜔 − 𝜔 − 𝑖Γ ω

where ωp is the plasma frequency and f1, f2, Γ1, Γ2 are real positive constants. Find the real part of the
refractive index for the following limits: a) ω → ∞ and b) ω → 0.

1.6.- (from past exams) Justify the fact that if a medium has a real refractive index greater than 1 at a certain
frequency, it is an absorber at some frequency.

1.7.- (from past exams) The imaginary part of the refractive index of a material medium can be approximated by
𝜅(𝜔) = 𝛿(𝜔 − 𝜔 ) + 𝛿(𝜔 − 𝜔 ) , where δ is the Dirac Delta function, ω1 and ω2 are the resonance
frequencies of the medium and ωp the plasma frequency. Determine the real part of the refractive index for the

frequency = .

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1.8.- Let us consider a low pressure dielectric gas with a single resonance frequency ω0 in which the
imaginary part of the refractive index can be approximated by 𝜅(𝜔) = lim for ω very far
→ ( )
from ω0. Obtain an expression for the real part of the refractive index for these conditions.

1.9.- (from past exams) The absorption coefficient of a material medium is given by 𝛼(𝜔) = 𝐴 𝛿(𝜔 − 𝜔 ),
where A is a real and positive constant, δ s the Dirac Delta function and ω0 is the resonance frequency of
the medium. Indicate the value that A must take so that the real part of the refractive index evaluated at
𝜔= takes the value n = 2.

1.10.- (from past exams) Determine the real and imaginary part of the complex refractive index, nc, for the
following cases in which it is true:

𝑛 = 𝑖𝑏; 𝑏 > 0, 𝑏 Real;

𝑛 = −𝑎; 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 Real;

1.11.- (from past exams) A metal fulfills that Γ ≪ ω and that the relative permittivity corresponding to the
dielectric part of the metal is 𝜖 = 1. Determine the real and imaginary part of the complex refractive index
for a frequency wave:

𝜔= 𝜔

𝜔 = 3𝜔

1.12.- (from past exams) Suppose a thin medium (Γ = 0) formed by a gas of free electrons with plasma
frequency ωp. An electromagnetic wave of frequency ω falls perpendicularly from the air (n = 1) on said
medium. Determine:

The refractive index (real and imaginary part) due to the electron gas for the frequency 𝜔=
0.5 𝜔 .
The reflectance for that frequency. Hint: The reflectance at normal incidence at the interface
between complex refractive indices media 1 and 2, n1 and n2, is given by: 𝑅 = |𝑛 − 𝑛 | /
|𝑛 + 𝑛 | .

1.13.- (from past exams) In a low-density free electron gas the complex refractive index for a wave
propagating through it can be approximated by 𝑛 = 1− , where the constant ωp is the frequency of
plasma. Determine the transparency and absorption properties based on the values you take ω. Justify your
answer.

1.14.- Calculate the plasma frequency for rubidium, knowing that the effective mass of the electron is
0.87me, the density of rubidium is 1532 kg /m3 and the atomic weight is 85.5 g.