Optics Laboratory and Application

The course gives an introduction to optical analysis methods of very general interest, that are diffusely exploited in many research as well industrial applications. The experiments bring to the study of fundamentals of Fourier Optics and of Statistical Optics, and to the comprehension of the role played by them in the instrument design.
Each group of students is charged with one experiment to be developed and performed during the course.

At the end of the laboratory course the student will have a detailed knowledge of one or more optical techniques. He/she will be able to discuss, design, realize an optical apparatus and perform the corresponding data analysis, even with codes written to the aim. The main items are:

- static light scattering
- dynamic light scattering
- holography
- interferometry
- coherent / incoherent imaging
- speckle techniques
- shadowgraph techniques
- measurement of wavefront distorsion
- astronomical optics