Photonics I

🌟 Course Highlight: Bridging Theory and Practice > A highlight of this course is the integration of theoretical concepts with live physical experiments and numerical simulations. To bring abstract physics to life, lectures feature real-time demonstrations of phenomena such as the photoemission effect and optical diffraction. Furthermore, we utilize interactive online numerical tools to visualize complex mechanisms, such as imaging through lenses. This dual approach ensures students not only learn the math but truly experience photonics in action.

Course Details

• Level: Master’s Program
• Language: English

Core Topics Covered

• Foundations: Ray optics, wave optics, and quantum optics.
• Classical Optics: Lenses, mirrors, prisms, and waveguides/optical fibers.
• Modern Optoelectronics: LEDs, photodiodes, CMOS cameras, diode lasers, radiation sources, and detectors.
• Advanced Applications: Implementations in biomedical engineering, augmented by insights into current, ongoing research projects.

Textbooks

• “Optics” by Hecht, E.
• “Optics and Lasers: Including Fibers and Optical Waveguides” by Young, M.
• “Fundamentals of Photonics” by B. Saleh, Teich

👨‍🏫 Teaching History & Roles

Semester	Role	Responsibility
Winter 2025/26	Lead Instructor	Full course responsibility, curriculum design, and examinations.
Winter 2024/25	Teaching Assistant	Supported the lecture led by Prof. Dr. Gereon Hüttmann; led exercise sessions.

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🌟 From Support to Leadership: My journey with Photonics I began in 2024, where I focused on the exercise sessions while supporting Prof. Hüttmann’s lectures. In the 2025-2026 semester, I transitioned into the role of Lead Instructor, taking over the full pedagogical responsibility for the course.

This transition allowed me to integrate my own research insights and live-demonstration concepts (such as photoemission and diffraction experiments) into the established curriculum.