Homework 1

IMGS 633 - Graduate Optics

February 15, 2017

Q1. Textbook Problem 10 in Chapter 1. (5pt)

Given

- I = 1000W/m2 is the irradiance.

- λ = 550nm is the wavelength.

- h = 6.63 × 10−34 J · s is the Planck’s constant.

- c = 3×108 m/s is the speed of light.

The energy per photon:

hc
Ephoton =
λ
(6.63−34 J · s)(3 × 108 m/s) (1)
=
550 × 10−9 m
= 3.61 × 10−19 J

The total energy of recieved by an area A = 1cm2 = 0.0001m2 within a time t=1s:

Etotal = I × A × t = 0.1W · s = 0.1J (2)

The total number of photon:

Etotal
Nphoton =
Ephoton
0.1J (3)
=
3.61 × 10−19 J
= 2.77 × 1017
Q2. A red helium neon laser pointer emits 3mW of power. The beam has a circular cross-
section of radius 1.25mm. If the laser is switched on for a short period of time, T=1ns,
determine the number of photons per cubic meter of the propagating beam. Ignore diffrac-
tion. (5pt)
Given

- P = 3mW = 3×10−3 W is the power of the laser.

1
 - r = 1.25mm = 1.25×10−3 m is the radius of the laser

- λ = 633nm = 6.33×10−9 m is the wavelength of red helium laser

- t = 1ns = 10−9 s is the laser on duration.

- h = 6.63 × 10−34 J · s is the Planck’s constant.

- c = 3×108 m/s is the speed of light.

The energy per photon:

hc
Ephoton =
λ
(6.63−34 J · s)(3 × 108 m/s) (4)
=
550 × 10−9 m
= 3.14 × 10−19 J

The total number of photon per second:

P
Nphoton =
Ephoton
3 × 10−3 W (5)
=
3.14 × 10−19 J
= 9.54 × 10−15 photons/s

The area of laser beam:

A = πr2
(6)
= 4.9 × 10−6 m2
The volume of laser:
V =A×c×t
= (4.9 × 10−6 m2 )(3 × 108 m/s)(10−9 s) (7)
= 1.47 × 10−6 m3
The photon density:
Nphoton
Dphoton =
V
9.54 × 10−15 photons/s (8)
=
1.47 × 10−6 m3
= 6.48 × 10−21 [photons/(m3 · s)]