University of St Andrews - Scotland's first university, founded 1413

Module Catalogue

For information on which modules are specific to your programme, please see : Programme requirements index 2017-2018.

Curricular information may be subject to change.

PH5025 Nanophotonics

Academic year(s): 2017-2018

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 11

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Available only to students in the second year of Honours programme or a taught postgraduate programme.

Planned timetable: To be arranged.

Nanophotonics deals with structured materials on the nanoscale for the manipulation of light. Photonic crystals and plasmonic metamaterials are hot topics in contemporary photonics, and form part of the School's research programme. The properties of these materials can be designed to a significant extent via their structure. Many of the properties of these nanostructured materials can be understood from their dispersion diagram or optical band-structure, which is a core tool that will be explored in the module. Familiar concepts such as optical waveguides and cavities, multilayer mirrors and interference effects will be used to explain more complex features such as slow light propagation and high Q cavities in photonic crystal waveguides and supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fibres. Propagating and localized plasmons will be explained and will include the novel effects of super-lensing and advanced phase control in metamaterials.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must take PH3061 and ( take PH3081 or take PH3082 ) and ( take PH4027 or take PH4034 or take PH4035 )

Anti-requisite(s): You cannot take this module if you take PH5183

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 3 lectures/tutorials (x 10 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours: 30

Guided independent study hours: 120

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 2-hour Written Examination = 80%, Coursework = 20%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 80%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 20%

Re-assessment: Oral Re-assessment, capped at grade 7

Personnel

Module teaching staff: Dr A Di Falco, Dr L O'Faolain

Additional information from school

Please see also the information in the School’s Handbook for Honours modules available via https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/staff_students/timetables.php. This link also gives access to timetables for the modules.