St.

Vincent College
PH 241: Optics

Final Exam
12/14/2009

Problem 1

30

Problem 2

20

Problem 3

30

Problem 4

30

Problem 5

30

Problem 6

30

Problem 7

30

Total

200

1. The wave function for a certain electromagnetic wave is given by

~ = 2500 cos(9.973 106 z 2.992 1015 t)
E
a) Identify the wavelength, frequency, and velocity of the wave.

b) In what direction is the wave traveling?

c) Work out the magnitude and direction of the corresponding magnetic field.

d) What is the intensity of this electromagnetic wave?

2. Consider a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave propagating toward you (i.e. out of the page).
There is a linear polarizer lying in the plane of the page. Pick a direction for the transmission axis of
the polarizer and a direction for the polarization of the electromagnetic wave (it will probably be easiest
if they are not orthogonal). Use your sketch to derive Maluss Law. Since there really isnt much math,
you will be judged on the clarity and completeness of your explanation behind the mathematics.

3. A diode laser is used as the light source for production of a reflection hologram. However, the diode
laser produces light that is linearly polarized. The beam is incident on the photographic plate at 45
(such that the angle actually marked in the figure is also 45 ) and polarized in the plane of the page.
Determine the fraction of the incident light transmitted into the plate. (Only concern yourself with the
first surface of the plate.) Take the index of refraction of the glass plate as n = 1.52.

45o

4. A Rochon polarizing prism is shown below. Sketch all of the pertinent rays assuming that it is made
of calcite (no = 1.658, ne = 1.486). Determine the direction of transmission of each ray upon exiting the
prism (measured with respect to the direction of propagation of the incident ray). The optic axes in
each piece of the prism are indicated on the figure.
45o

5. Two ideal linear sheet polarizers are arranged with their their transmission axes at 10 and 60
with respect to vertical.
a) If a beam of linearly polarized light with its electric field at 40 with respect to vertical enters the
first polarizer, what fraction of its irradiance will emerge from the second?

b) Replace the polarized beam with a beam of natural, randomly polarized light. Now calculate the
fraction of the incident irradiance that emerges from the second polarizer.

6. The horse in Fig. 5.26 (reproduced below) is 2.25 m tall, and it stands with its face 15 m from the
plane of the thin lens whose focal length is 3 m.

a) Determine the location of the image of the equine nose.

b) Describe the image in detail - type, orientation, and magnification.

c) How tall is the image?

d) If the horses tail is 17.5 m from the lens, how long, nose-to-tail, is the image of the horse?

7. A function f (x) is shown below, graphically. The function itself repeats along the x-axis and is given
by
A
x
x, /2 < x < /2
f (x) = A =

2
Determine the coefficients, an and bn , and express f (x) as a Fourier series.

A
2

A
2

Possibly Useful Information

Permittivity of Free Space: 0 = 8.854 1012 C2 /N m2
Coulomb Constant: ke = 8.99 109 N m2 /C2
Permeability of Free Space: 0 = 4 107 T m/A
Speed of light in vacuum: c = 2.99792458 108 m/s
1 inch = 2.54 cm, exactly.
~ (B
~ C)
~ = B(
~ A
~ C)
~ C(
~ A
~ B)
~
A
~ B)
~ C
~ = B(
~ A
~ C)
~ A(
~ B
~ C)
~
(A
~ B)
~ (C
~ D)
~ = (A
~ C)(
~ B
~ D)
~ (A
~ D)(
~ B
~ C)
~
(A
~ B)
~ (C
~ D)
~ = C{
~ A
~ (B
~ D)}
~ D{
~ A
~ (B
~ C)}
~
(A
f (x) =

X
X
a0 X
+
an cos(nkx) +
sin(nkx) =
cn einkx
2

n=1
n=1

2
a0 =

f (x)dx

2
an =

f (x) cos(nkx)dx

f (x) sin(nkx)dx

2
bn =

Z
Z

sin ax dx =

x sin ax dx =

x sin2 ax dx =

cos ax
a

sin ax x cos ax

a2
a

x4
x sin 2ax cos 2ax

4
4a
8a2

sin(A B) = sin A cos B cos A sin B

cos(A B) = cos A cos B sin A sin B





1
1
cos A + cos B = 2 cos
(A + B) cos
(A B)
2
2




1
1
(A + B) sin
(B A)
cos A cos B = 2 sin
2
2


1
1
(n 1)d
1

+
= (n 1)
f
R1
R2
nR1 R2
h1 =

f (n 1)d
nR2

h2 =

f (n 1)d
nR1

T =
=
R

1
R

=
M

tk =

1 L
0 1

h 1
n1
n2


0

2
R

0
1

n1
n2

r =

sin(i t )
ni cos i nt cos t
=
ni cos i + nt cos t
sin(i + t )

rk =

tan(i t )
nt cos i ni cos t
=
nt cos i + ni cos t
tan(i + t )

t =

2 sin t cos i
2ni cos i
=
ni cos i + nt cos t
sin(i + t )

2 sin t cos i
2ni cos i
=
nt cos t + ni cos i
sin(i + t ) cos(i t )
2
R = r
; Rk = rk2

T =

nt cos t 2
nt cos t 2
t ; Tk =
t
ni cos i
ni cos i k