At the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate the following key points of knowledge: o Understanding of the theory, along with the experimental evidence supporting it, which underpins the mathematical models of the main optical devices; o Understanding of the primary methodologies used to analyze the behavior of the most common Photonics technologies in the industrial application domain. Additionally, students should demonstrate the following skills: o Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of commercial devices; o Ability to propose alternative approaches for designing new optical components; o Ability to present, both orally and in writing, a clear and well-structured set of relevant considerations on design assumptions and results; o Ability to read, understand, and critically comment on technical materials about optical devices from books, manuals, datasheets, and other sources.

Key notions typically learned in undergraduate courses on physics of waves and on electrical circuit theory, such as: o Electromagnetic fields and waves; o Solution of simple electric circuits. Moreover, solving the proposed exercises may require some experience with computational software such as Matlab, Maple, etc.

o o Basic electromagnetic theory (1.5 ECTS): transmission lines (1D scalar wave equation), plane waves (3D vector wave equation). o Optical devices (1.5 ECTS): plane waves in dielectrics, main discrete optical components, optical fibers and fiber components. o Industrial applications of Photonics (2.5 ECTS): Gaussian beams and application to the design of high-power beam shaping systems; fiber optic sensors; introduction to lasers (working principle, types and operating regimes). o Optical chain of laser material processing machines (0.5 ECTS).

The course includes lectures on theory, exercise sessions, and experimental demonstrations. Since the main goal is to provide the background and methods needed to understand how to design new components and critically analyze the performance of existing commercial devices, the theoretical derivations focus on real devices. Extensive exercise sessions are integrated into the lectures (the so-called “tutored exercise classes”), in which students are guided to apply what they have learned in the preceding lectures to the design of simplified devices. Experimental demonstrations are conducted either by the instructor or by small groups of students, depending on the availability and complexity of the specific equipment required. Part of the lectures will be in the form of seminars with the participation of leading industrial experts.

Lecture notes made available through the course website ("Portale della didattica"). To probe further it may be also useful to consult: o K. Iizuka, “Elements of Photonics” vol. I + II, Wiley. o B.E.A. Saleh, M.C. Teich, “Fundamentals of Photonics”, Wiley. o J. Dowden et al., “The theory of laser materials processing”, Springer. o J. Hecht, “Understanding lasers”, Wiley. o D. Krohn et al., “Fiber optic sensors”, SPIE Press.

Lecture slides; Exercise with solutions ;

Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Individual project;

The exam is designed to assess students' understanding of the topics covered in the course, as well as their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of simple design projects. The exam is oral only and typically lasts between 30 and 50 minutes. It consists of a discussion of the topics presented during the lectures and a critical analysis of the results from the assignments completed during the course. Critical analysis refers to the ability to justify the design choices made, explain the results obtained, and relate both to the theoretical framework discussed in the lectures. Students are not expected to design the best possible device, but rather to demonstrate that they have understood the theory and are able to apply it effectively. Assignments may be carried out in teams; however, each student is individually responsible for all material presented during the exam, including any software scripts. There is no specific format required for assignment reports and they may be submitted as documents or presentations. While a formal report is not mandatory, attention to technical quality is expected (e.g., correct use of measurement units, labeled graphs and axes, appropriate legends, etc.). Assignments must be submitted at least one day before the exam date. In the case of group work, the same version of the assignments must be used by all members of the group. This means that only the first student taking the exam will submit the assignments, and that version will be considered final for the entire group, regardless of when the other team members take the exam. The course program — including assignments — is valid until the course is next offered. Students may choose from two grading paths: Basic and Standard. Basic path requires the critical discussion of two assignments; the maximum grade is 20/30. Standard path requires the critical discussion of up to four assignments, plus responses to 4–5 questions selected from a list published on the course web portal prior to the exam period; the maximum grade is 30/30 with honors (cum laude).

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.