Resources & Recommended Reading
This page collects the main textbooks and references used throughout the Introduction to Photonics course. Individual lectures reference specific chapters; this page provides the full overview and guidance on how to use each book.
Core Textbooks
These three books form the backbone of the course. Together they cover almost every topic at the right level for Bachelor students.
Saleh & Teich — Fundamentals of Photonics
B. E. A. Saleh and M. C. Teich, Fundamentals of Photonics, 3rd ed. (Wiley, 2019).
The closest single-volume companion to this course. Covers ray optics, wave optics, Fourier optics, polarization, nonlinear optics, and modern photonics in a rigorous yet accessible way. Excellent figures and end-of-chapter problems.
| Lectures | Chapters |
|---|---|
| L1–L2 (Foundations) | Ch. 1 (Ray Optics), Ch. 2 (Wave Optics), Ch. 9 (EM Optics) |
| L3 (Polarization) | Ch. 6 (Polarization Optics) |
| L4 (Anisotropic Media) | Ch. 6.3–6.6 (Crystal Optics) |
| L5 (Nonlinear Optics) | Ch. 21 (Nonlinear Optics) |
| L6–L7 (Fourier Optics) | Ch. 4 (Fourier Optics) |
| L8–L10 (Microscopy) | Ch. 4.4 (Imaging), Ch. 4.5 (Holography) |
| L11 (Wavefront Sensing) | Ch. 3 (Beam Optics), Supplement on AO |
| L14–L15 (Scattering) | Ch. 24 (Light Scattering) |
Hecht — Optics
E. Hecht, Optics, 5th ed. (Pearson, 2017).
The classic introductory optics textbook. Very strong on physical intuition, historical context, and experimental demonstrations. Particularly good for understanding interference, diffraction, and polarization at the Bachelor level.
| Lectures | Chapters |
|---|---|
| L1–L2 (Foundations) | Ch. 2–4 (Waves), Ch. 5 (Geometrical Optics), Ch. 9 (Interference) |
| L3 (Polarization) | Ch. 8 (Polarization) |
| L6–L7 (Fourier Optics) | Ch. 10–11 (Diffraction, Fourier Optics) |
| L8–L10 (Microscopy) | Ch. 11.3 (Abbe Theory) |
| L14 (Scattering) | Ch. 10.2 (Scattering) |
Goodman — Introduction to Fourier Optics
J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 4th ed. (Freeman, 2017).
The definitive text on Fourier optics. Essential reading for lectures 6–10, where we develop the Fourier-optical description of imaging. Thorough treatment of coherent and incoherent imaging, transfer functions, and holography.
| Lectures | Chapters |
|---|---|
| L6–L7 (Fourier Optics) | Ch. 2–5 (2D Fourier transforms, Fresnel/Fraunhofer diffraction, Lenses) |
| L8–L10 (Microscopy) | Ch. 6 (Coherent/Incoherent Imaging), Ch. 8 (Holography) |
| L12 (Superresolution) | Ch. 7 (Wavefront Modulation) |
Specialized References
Polarization & Crystal Optics
Goldstein, D. H. (2011). Polarized Light, 3rd ed. CRC Press. {#sec-goldstein} Comprehensive treatment of Stokes parameters, Müller matrices, and the Poincaré sphere. Good for L3.
Yariv, A. & Yeh, P. (2003). Optical Waves in Crystals. Wiley. {#sec-yariv} The standard reference for wave propagation in anisotropic media, birefringence, electro-optic and acousto-optic effects. Essential for L4.
Collett, E. (2005). Field Guide to Polarization. SPIE Press. {#sec-collett} Compact reference card for all polarization formulae and conventions.
Nonlinear Optics
Boyd, R. W. (2020). Nonlinear Optics, 4th ed. Academic Press. {#sec-boyd} The standard textbook. Covers SHG, Kerr effect, self-phase modulation, four-wave mixing, and parametric processes. Reference for L5.
Bloembergen, N. (1996). Nonlinear Optics, 4th ed. World Scientific. {#sec-bloembergen} The classic by one of the founders of the field. More historical and compact than Boyd, but insightful on the physical origins of nonlinear susceptibilities.
Shen, Y. R. (2003). Principles of Nonlinear Optics. Wiley. {#sec-shen} More theoretical than Boyd; excellent for understanding symmetry arguments and tensor formulations.
Microscopy
Murphy, D. B. & Davidson, M. W. (2013). Fundamentals of Light Microscopy and Electronic Imaging, 2nd ed. Wiley. {#sec-murphy} Outstanding for Bachelor-level microscopy: brightfield, darkfield, phase contrast, fluorescence, and confocal. Rich in practical detail and photographs. Core reference for L8–L10.
Mertz, J. (2019). Introduction to Optical Microscopy, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-mertz} Modern textbook connecting Fourier optics to microscopy. Excellent on transfer functions, structured illumination, and light-sheet microscopy.
Gu, M. (2000). Advanced Optical Imaging Theory. Springer. {#sec-gu} For students who want to go deeper: 3D transfer functions, confocal PSF, multiphoton imaging.
Superresolution Microscopy
Schermelleh, L. et al. (2019). “Super-resolution microscopy demystified.” Nature Cell Biology 21, 72–84. {#sec-schermelleh} Excellent review paper covering STED, PALM/STORM, SIM, and MINFLUX. Good entry point for L12.
Balzarotti, F. et al. (2017). “Nanometer resolution imaging and tracking of fluorescent molecules with minimal photon fluxes.” Science 355, 606–612. {#sec-minflux} The original MINFLUX paper by the Hell group.
Wavefront Sensing & Adaptive Optics
Tyson, R. (2015). Principles of Adaptive Optics, 4th ed. CRC Press. {#sec-tyson} The standard reference for Shack–Hartmann sensors, deformable mirrors, and closed-loop correction. Core for L11.
Hardy, J. W. (1998). Adaptive Optics for Astronomical Telescopes. Oxford University Press. {#sec-hardy} Classic on the astronomy application; great for understanding Zernike modes and atmospheric turbulence.
Paganin, D. (2006). Coherent X-Ray Optics. Oxford University Press. {#sec-paganin} Contains the transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) derivation used in quantitative phase imaging (L11).
Photothermal Methods
Bialkowski, S. E. (2019). Photothermal Spectroscopy Methods, 2nd ed. Wiley. {#sec-bialkowski} Comprehensive on photothermal lensing, deflection, and interferometric detection. Core for L13.
Berciaud, S. et al. (2004). “Photothermal heterodyne imaging of individual nonfluorescent nanoclusters and nanocrystals.” Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 257402. {#sec-berciaud} Seminal paper on single-nanoparticle photothermal detection.
Cichos, F., Selmke, M. et al. “Photothermal single-particle microscopy” — various publications from Leipzig.
Light Scattering & Random Media
Bohren, C. F. & Huffman, D. R. (2004). Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles. Wiley. {#sec-bohren} The standard reference for Rayleigh and Mie scattering. Essential for L14.
Berne, B. J. & Pecora, R. (2000). Dynamic Light Scattering. Dover. {#sec-berne} Covers autocorrelation functions, Brownian motion, and DLS instrumentation. Core for L14.
Ishimaru, A. (1999). Wave Propagation and Scattering in Random Media. Wiley-IEEE. {#sec-ishimaru} The standard monograph on radiative transfer, diffusion, and coherent backscattering. Core for L15.
Akkermans, E. & Montambaux, G. (2007). Mesoscopic Physics of Electrons and Photons. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-akkermans} Beautiful treatment of speckle, weak localization, and mesoscopic transport of light.
Vellekoop, I. M. & Mosk, A. P. (2007). “Focusing coherent light through opaque strongly scattering media.” Opt. Lett. 32, 2309. {#sec-vellekoop} The foundational wavefront-shaping paper. Key reading for L15.
Plasmonics & Nano-Optics
Maier, S. A. (2007). Plasmonics: Fundamentals and Applications. Springer. {#sec-maier} Accessible introduction to surface plasmon polaritons, localized resonances, and nanophotonic waveguides.
Novotny, L. & Hecht, B. (2012). Principles of Nano-Optics, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-novotny} Advanced but excellent chapters on near-field optics, single-molecule detection, and nanophotonic resolution limits.
General Reference
Born, M. & Wolf, E. (1999). Principles of Optics, 7th ed. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-born} The encyclopaedic reference for classical optics. Not a teaching text, but invaluable for looking up derivations and proofs.
Jackson, J. D. (1999). Classical Electrodynamics, 3rd ed. Wiley. {#sec-jackson} The standard graduate-level electrodynamics text. Useful as a reference for the electromagnetic foundations of optics (wave equations, radiation, boundary conditions).
Mandel, L. & Wolf, E. (1995). Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-mandel} The definitive treatise on coherence theory and the quantum theory of light. Advanced, but the chapters on classical coherence functions are valuable background for understanding partial coherence in imaging.
Pedrotti, F. L., Pedrotti, L. M. & Pedrotti, L. S. (2017). Introduction to Optics, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press. {#sec-pedrotti} A gentler alternative to Hecht for students who need more step-by-step derivations.
Online Resources
- MIT OCW 2.71 — Optics — excellent lecture notes and problem sets
- RP Photonics Encyclopedia — encyclopaedia of laser and photonics terminology
- Nikon MicroscopyU — interactive microscopy tutorials and Java applets
- Zeiss Campus — microscopy education with excellent visualizations
- Thorlabs Optics Tutorials — practical optical component guides
How to Use This Page
Each lecture’s “Further Reading” section links back here with specific chapter recommendations. The notation is:
- [Saleh, Ch. 4] → Saleh & Teich, Chapter 4 (jump to entry)
- [Goodman, Ch. 6] → Goodman, Chapter 6 (jump to entry)
- [Boyd, Ch. 1–2] → Boyd, Chapters 1–2 (jump to entry)
For exam preparation, the core textbooks (Saleh & Teich, Hecht, Goodman) are sufficient. The specialized references are for deeper exploration and project work.