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Amplitude transmittance is the local ratio of transmitted to incident complex amplitude in a thin optical-element model. It includes wave phase as well as attenuation. For identical incident and transmitted media at normal incidence, the corresponding intensity transmittance is $|t{|}^2$; $t$ itself is not the transmitted power fraction. A pure phase screen has $|t|=1$.

Consider an original stipulated model, not measured material data: thermal diffusivity $\alpha =10^{-4}{\mathrm{m}}^2{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, period $P=100\mathrm{s}$, driven temperature amplitude ${\Theta }_0=4\mathrm{K}$, and thermometers at $x_1=0.020\mathrm{m}$ and $x_2=0.050\mathrm{m}$. Without side losses, $a=b=17.7245{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$ and thermal penetration depth $\delta =0.05642\mathrm{m}$. ThusThe two no-loss estimates and the combined estimate all return $10^{-4}{\mathrm{m}}^2{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$.

Now retain the same thermal diffusivity and drive but introduce $\lambda =0.010{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. The exact complex wavenumber gives $a=19.1863{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$ and $b=16.3742{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$, henceUsing attenuation alone with the no-loss formula would give $8.5343\times 10^{-5}{\mathrm{m}}^2{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$; using lag alone would give $1.17174\times 10^{-4}{\mathrm{m}}^2{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. Their disagreement is informative. If an independent volumetric heat capacity measurement gives $\rho c_p=2.0\times 10^6\mathrm{J}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$, the combined estimate implies thermal conductivity $k=200\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$ and $H=2.0\times 10^4\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$.

The exact complex amplitudes can be checked independently by discretizing $\alpha {\hat{\theta }}^{\prime \prime }-(\lambda +i\omega )\hat{\theta }=0$ and solving the resulting linear system with a tridiagonal matrix. Halving the spatial step quarters the discrepancy, as expected for centered finite differences. Separately fitting the real time traces to a constant plus sine and cosine terms recovers both amplitudes and their lag; this also checks the sign convention used in the combined estimate.

For uniform coherent plane-wave illumination, an ideal binary amplitude zone plate transmits alternate Fresnel half-period zones. If $N_o$ complete odd zones are open, every one contributes approximately twice the unobstructed axial complex amplitude, in the same phase, and $I_f/I_0\simeq 4N_o^2$. This is a local light intensity gain relative to removing the plate and outer stop. It differs from comparison with a finite clear aperture: an aperture containing an odd integer number of half-period zones has axial intensity $4I_0$, giving plate-to-aperture ratio $N_o^2$. Neither gain is a total power efficiency.

A beam splitter is an optical instrument that routes an incident beam of light into transmitted and reflected beams. It also combines incident complex amplitudes: two inputs can contribute to the same output. A common geometry has four optical ports, with two chosen as inputs and two as outputs. A beam splitter changes the field; a photodetector supplies a measurement.^[ref]

For one illuminated input of a passive beam splitter, at specified wavelength, angle of incidence and electromagnetic polarization, define power transmittance $T=P_{\mathrm{transmitted}}/P_{\mathrm{in}}$, reflectance $R=P_{\mathrm{reflected}}/P_{\mathrm{in}}$ and radiometric absorptance $A=P_{\mathrm{absorbed}}/P_{\mathrm{in}}$. In steady operation, with no gain or other source, no net stored energy change, and all escaping light included in the transmitted or reflected collection,This is conservation of energy divided by incident power. If $T$ and $R$ count only the intended output beams, include a separate scattered or otherwise uncollected fraction $L$: then $T+R+A+L=1$. Missing output power need not be wave absorption. For an original specified example, $P_{\mathrm{in}}=10\mathrm{mW}$, $T=0.45$, $R=0.50$ and $A=0.05$ give $4.5\mathrm{mW}$ transmitted, $5.0\mathrm{mW}$ reflected and $0.5\mathrm{mW}$ absorbed; these are assumed values, not measurements.

A 50:50 beam splitter specifies equal output powers for one input, not equal complex amplitudes without a relative wave phase. Recombination needs the beam splitter scattering matrix, including its wave phases. A nonpolarizing beam splitter approximately divides both orthogonal linear polarizations in the same power ratio over its specified operating range; a polarizing beam splitter deliberately routes the two differently.

The useful surprise is that the same component divides power with one input and steers power by wave interference with two inputs. In a Michelson interferometer or Mach-Zehnder interferometer, mirror motion changes relative wave phase, turning a small change in optical path length into a measurable change in output power.

For a linear, fixed-frequency beam splitter, choose power-normalized complex amplitudes $a_1,a_2$ at its input optical ports and $b_1,b_2$ at its output optical ports: $|a_j{|}^2$ and $|b_j{|}^2$ are powers. The scalar description treats one specified electromagnetic polarization and matching transverse profiles; other fields require additional components. With the geometrical ordering in the diagram,Here $t,t^{\prime }$ are transmission complex amplitudes per unit input and $r,r^{\prime }$ are reflection complex amplitudes per unit input. In this power normalization, a single input gives $T=|t{|}^2$ and $R=|r{|}^2$. Raw electric field amplitudes in different media generally need additional power-normalization factors.

If these two output optical ports account for all outgoing power and the device has no loss or gain, $S$ is a unitary matrix:The dagger is the Hermitian transpose and a star is complex conjugation. To prove the condition, substitute $\mathbf{b}=S\mathbf{a}$ into conservation of total power for every input vector: ${\mathbf{a}}^{†}(S^{†}S-I)\mathbf{a}=0$. Inputs $(1,0)$ and $(0,1)$ fix the diagonal entries; $(1,1)$ and $(1,i)$ fix the real and imaginary parts of the off-diagonal entry. A lossy two-output description instead has $S^{†}S\le I$ for a passive device.^[ref]

One consistent ideal symmetric 50:50 choice isEach reflection carries $+\pi /2$ relative wave phase in this convention. The columns have unit vector norm and zero inner product, directly verifying that $S$ is a unitary matrix. Choosing a different phase convention for complex amplitudes at the optical ports replaces $S$ by $D_{\mathrm{out}}S{D}_{\mathrm{in}}^{-1}$, where the $D$ are diagonal matrices whose entries have modulus one; the input complex amplitudes must be transformed consistently. Observable powers are unchanged. The displayed $i$ is a convention for this ideal model, not a universal reflection rule for every coating or incidence geometry.

An original reduced model makes the calibration explicit. Let the torsion pendulum have restoring torque $-\kappa \theta$, with torsion constant $\kappa$, and viscous damping torque $-b\dot{\theta }$, with $b>0$. Allow an unwanted axial torque ${\tau }_p(t)$:Here ${\omega }_0$ is the undamped natural angular frequency and $Q$ the quality factor. The forced harmonic oscillator response must be included before a twist can be interpreted as a torque.

Using the complex amplitude convention $m_z(t)=\mathrm{Re}(\tilde{m}{e}^{\mathrm{i}\omega t})$ and similarly for $\theta$ and ${\tau }_p$, differentiation multiplies by $\mathrm{i}\omega$. Substitution givesThis is the torque-to-twist transfer function. With ${\tilde{\tau }}_p=0$ and real positive $\tilde{m}=m_1$, the twist amplitude isFor $\gamma <0$, the twist phase relative to $m_z$ is $\pi /2-atan2(b\omega ,\kappa -I{\omega }^2)$. At $\omega ={\omega }_0$ it is zero, although the reaction torque leads $m_z$ by $\pi /2$. A phase measured at the mirror is not automatically the phase of the applied torque.

A fixed-amplitude reference torque ${\tau }_c\cos \omega t$ measures $|H_{\tau }|$ directly. The Einstein-de Haas effect instead contains an extra factor $\omega$ when $m_1$ stays fixed. Consequently its twist amplitude peaks exactly at ${\omega }_0$ in this model, whereas the fixed-torque peak is at ${\omega }_0\sqrt{1-1/(2Q^2)}$ when $Q>1/\sqrt{2}$. To verify the first statement, divide the squared denominator of $A_{\mathrm{EdH}}$ by ${\omega }^2$: the quantity to minimize is $(\kappa /\omega -I\omega {)}^2+b^2$, minimized at ${\omega }_0$. Both response curves tend to zero at high frequency; only the magnetomechanical curve also tends to zero at zero frequency.

For a fully stipulated example, choose $I=2.00\times 10^{-10}\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^2$, $\kappa =8.00\times 10^{-10}\mathrm{N}m/rad$, $b=8.00\times 10^{-11}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{m}s/rad$, $\gamma =-1.76\times 10^{11}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}{\mathrm{T}}^{-1}$, and $m_1=1.76\times 10^{-4}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{m}}^2$. These teaching inputs give ${\omega }_0=2.00rad/s$, $Q=5.00$, reaction torque amplitude $2.00\times 10^{-15}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{m}$ at ${\omega }_0$, andAn optical lever at distance $D=1.00\mathrm{m}$ gives small-displacement spot amplitude $x\simeq 2DA=25.0\mu \mathrm{m}$; its full peak-to-peak width is $4DA=50.0\mu \mathrm{m}$. For a fast reversal from $+m_1$ to $-m_1$, the same inputs give $\Delta L_{\mathrm{body}}=-2.00\times 10^{-15}\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^2/s$ and initial $\Delta \dot{\theta }=-1.00\times 10^{-5}rad/s$, provided the external angular impulse is negligible.

One independent mechanical calibration adds known moment of inertia $\Delta I$, keeping $\kappa$ unchanged. If $T_a,T_b$ are the undamped oscillation periods before and after adding it, thenFor $\Delta I=I$ in the stipulated example, $T_a=\pi \mathrm{s}$ and $T_b=\sqrt{2}\pi \mathrm{s}$, recovering the chosen $I$ and $\kappa$. Real damped periods require a damping correction: a free decay has angular envelope $e^{-bt/(2I)}$ and oscillation angular frequency $\sqrt{\kappa /I-(b/(2I){)}^2}$. Measuring that decay determines $b/(2I)$. Calibrating the optical scale, mechanical response and change of magnetic dipole moment separately is what makes the inferred gyromagnetic ratio meaningful.

The optical coherency matrix records the second moments of transverse complex amplitudes. Normalize its trace to light intensity. Under a deterministic Jones matrix $M$, $C\mapsto MC{M}^{†}$. Unpolarized light has $C=(I_0/2)I_2$, so its output intensity is $(I_0/2)\mathrm{tr}(M{M}^{†})$; it cannot be represented by one fixed Jones vector.

Suppose the two input beams share frequency, electromagnetic polarization and overlapping transverse profiles at each output, with stable relative wave phase during the photodetector's averaging interval. For the ideal beam splitter scattering matrix above, expanding the squared complex amplitudes givesThe imaginary part terms describe wave interference. Applying the single-input power split to each input separately and adding the results would discard these terms. Their opposite signs ensure $P_1+P_2=|a_1{|}^2+|a_2{|}^2$: conservation of energy survives even when one output is dark.

For an original example, let $a_1=\sqrt{P}$, $a_2=\sqrt{P}{e}^{i\delta }$ and $P=1\mathrm{mW}$. Then $P_1=P(1-\sin \delta )$ and $P_2=P(1+\sin \delta )$:

At $+\pi /2$, $a_2=i\sqrt{P}$ makes $b_1=(\sqrt{P}-\sqrt{P})/\sqrt{2}=0$ and $b_2=i\sqrt{2P}$; at $-\pi /2$ the dark output swaps. Thus the two inputs can feed all their combined power into one output without gain. At zero relative input wave phase, the splitter's own relative wave phase leaves the contributions in quadrature, so neither output is dark.

For fluctuating fields, average the cross term as $\mathrm{Im}⟨a_1^{\ast }{a}_2⟩$. It vanishes for mutually uncorrelated inputs, making the independent power-splitting rule valid for the averaged output. Partial first-order optical coherence reduces it. Orthogonal linear polarizations eliminate the cross term in a polarization-insensitive power readout, and spatial mismatch reduces the overlap. Detector averaging can also erase rapid relative wave phase changes. A fixed relation between two inputs can be prepared by splitting one laser beam and recombining the two arms.

An actual teaching protocol in Michelson Interferometer & Precision Wavelength Measurement — Week 1, University of Colorado Boulder, §§4–6, starts with an ideal-model prediction, then builds a Michelson interferometer using a helium-neon laser, a nonpolarizing beam splitter, adjustable mirrors, a micrometer translation stage and a photodetector. Steering mirrors align beam overlap at near and far planes; far-plane interference fringes refine alignment. Moving the arm mirror changes the returning relative wave phase; detector voltage is watched with a live acquisition display or oscilloscope. The guide compares measured arm powers with 50:50 splitting and asks for a revised field model. It tests electromagnetic polarization dependence, optionally changing one arm with a quarter-wave plate, and estimates noise from repeated readings at fixed mirror position. These controls test whether fringe changes reflect coherent recombination rather than splitter imbalance or misalignment. The guide supplies a protocol, not a numerical dataset. Its detector noise, imperfect overlap and electromagnetic polarization mismatch limit displacement inference.^[ref]

Additional background subtraction controls follow from the field model: block both arms to record the detector offset and ambient light, then unblock each arm separately to establish its detected power at fixed gain. With both open, scan the mirror and compare extrema after subtracting that background. Keep the detector below saturation and repeat the scan to check drift. A changing signal alone cannot distinguish source optical coherence from motion or changing overlap. For a vacuum round trip, a mirror displacement $x$ changes relative wave phase by $4\pi x/\lambda$; the useful signal is its modulation after detection, not an optical-frequency oscillation that the detector must resolve.

Complex conductivity relates the complex amplitudes of current density and electric field at an angular frequency $\omega$ in sinusoidal response. Its modulus gives the amplitude ratio, while its argument encodes their relative phase. Both the exponential time convention and whether amplitudes are peak or root mean square values must be stated when interpreting phase or average power.

A complex visibility is a calibrated complex correlation of the signals received at a particular interferometric baseline. In a narrow field, with scalar radiation, the far-field approximation for an outgoing source, a narrow frequency channel, negligible noncoplanar phase curvature and a steady sky of mutually incoherent emitters,Here $l,m$ are small dimensionless sky-direction offsets, $I$ is brightness in the chosen channel, and $A$ is the primary beam. This is the Fourier transform of beam-weighted brightness. The two-dimensional formula requires those approximations: a wide field generally needs the third baseline coordinate and curved sky geometry.

For an explicit one-dimensional derivation, set the primary beam to one over the small field, and place independent emitters at angular offsets ${\theta }_j$. Choose a wave phase convention in which, after removing the phase centre's delay, their received complex amplitudes areHere ${\delta }_{jk}$ is the Kronecker delta and angle brackets denote an expected value estimated by time averaging a steady signal. The last equality states mutual incoherence: different emitters have zero averaged cross term, although each emitter's two received copies remain correlated. Multiplying and averaging givesFor continuous brightness this becomes $V(u)=\int I(\theta )e^{-2\pi iu\theta }d\theta$. Real brightness implies the Hermitian symmetry $V(-u)=V(u{)}^{\ast }$; it does not require brightness to be even. In particular, an asymmetric real source usually has a nonzero imaginary complex visibility. At zero baseline, $V(0)={\sum }_j{I}_j$ is the total beam-weighted source strength. Ordinary separated-element correlations need not measure that zero-baseline value.

A complex amplitude describing a coherent condensate in mean-field theory. In the convention $\int |\psi {|}^2{d}^{3}r=N$, its squared modulus is the condensate density. Dividing by $\sqrt{N}$ gives a normalized orbital; formulas for interaction strengths and nonlinear terms must use the same normalization convention.

Destructive interference occurs when coherent contributions partially or completely cancel their complex amplitudes. For two equal contributions, a phase difference of $\pi$ modulo $2\pi$ gives zero resultant wave amplitude. The missing local light intensity is consistent with conservation of energy because the full spatial interference pattern redistributes power.

A diffraction grating is a periodic optical structure whose repeated slits or grooves direct light into diffraction orders through wave interference. Its beauty is that many individually broad contributions cooperate to select narrow directions: the spacing determines where the principal peaks occur, while the number of illuminated elements determines how sharply they are selected. This makes a diffraction grating useful in a spectrometer, where separating wavelengths spatially lets us examine an optical spectrum. ^[ref].

Consider a transmission diffraction grating in air, illuminated at normal incidence by a plane wave. Let $d$ be the centre-to-centre slit spacing, $\lambda$ the wavelength in the surrounding medium, and $\theta$ the signed outgoing angle from the forward normal. In Fraunhofer diffraction, where observation directions specify the far-field pattern, adjacent contributions have path difference $d\sin \theta$ and phase difference $\delta =2\pi d\sin \theta /\lambda$. Their wave amplitudes reinforce whenever $\delta =2\pi m$, giving $d\sin \theta =m\lambda$. This normal-incidence geometry should be kept distinct from the incident and reflected angle convention in the grating equation below. ^[ref].

Angular colour separation follows immediately. At fixed nonzero diffraction order, increasing the wavelength moves the peak farther from the normal. With $d=2\mu \mathrm{m}$, first-order light at $450\mathrm{nm}$ leaves at $13.003^{\circ }$, whereas $650\mathrm{nm}$ leaves at $18.966^{\circ }$: a separation of $5.963^{\circ }$. The zero diffraction order stays at $0^{\circ }$ for both wavelengths. Thus grating dispersion comes from an orderly dependence of wave interference on wavelength, rather than an arbitrary assignment of colours to directions.

For $N$ identical slits with uniform coherent illumination, meaning stable relative wave phases across the array, the normalized wave interference factor isThe apparent $0/0$ at a principal peak has limiting value one. A short explanation uses the geometric series: equal wave phases add $N$ equal complex amplitudes; a small directional change distributes those contributions around the complex plane and allows cancellation. With each slit's contribution held fixed, peak scalar wave intensity scales as $N^2$. The normalized plots remove that height change to make the narrowing visible. Stable relative wave phases, or optical coherence, are essential; a sum of independent intensities would lose this array structure. ^[ref].

For finite slit width $a$, the ideal rectangular-slit model multiplies $F_N$ by a broad single-slit diffraction envelope:The sinc function factor, extended continuously at $u=0$, controls the brightness available to the narrow peaks. For example, $a=0.5\mu \mathrm{m}$ gives envelope values about $0.811$, $0.405$, and $0.090$ at diffraction orders $1$, $2$, and $3$ in the $600\mathrm{nm}$ example. If an envelope zero coincides with an allowed diffraction order, that peak disappears. A permitted direction therefore need not produce a visible bright spot. ^[ref].

Historically, Joseph von Fraunhofer used fine parallel wires stretched between threaded rods to make diffraction gratings. Kenyon's historical apparatus account describes both this construction and a later reconstruction with visible light. The example makes the governing idea tangible: regular spacing can turn a simple array of obstacles into an instrument for distinguishing wavelengths. ^[ref].

A dispersion relation specifies which angular frequencies and wavevectors a linear wave model admits. Fix the plane wave conventionHere $a$ is a constant complex amplitude, $\mathbf{k}$ is the wavevector, and $\omega$ is the angular frequency. Substitution into a constant-coefficient linear partial differential equation replaces ${\partial }_t$ by $-i\omega$ and $\nabla$ by $i\mathbf{k}$, turning the wave problem into an algebraic condition. A system can have several roots; $\omega =\omega (\mathbf{k})$ means one chosen branch, rather than a promise that the full dispersion relation is single-valued. For real $\mathbf{k}$, $\mathrm{Im}\omega >0$ means temporal growth in this convention, while $\mathrm{Im}\omega <0$ means damping. The real-branch discussion of phase velocity and group velocity below assumes negligible loss.

For the one-dimensional wave equation $u_{tt}=c^2{u}_{xx}$, the dispersion relation is ${\omega }^2=c^2{k}^2$. The branch $\omega =ck$ carries right-moving travelling waves for $c>0$; both its phase velocity and group velocity are $c$. One may instead use the positive-angular frequency branch $\omega =c|k|$, with right-moving components at $k>0$ and left-moving components at $k<0$. A real wave pairs each $(k,\omega )$ with $(-k,-\omega )$; that conjugate pair represents the same travelling pattern. Branch and sign choices therefore matter when interpreting a dispersion diagram.

A particularly tangible dispersive example is a small-amplitude surface gravity wave on still water of uniform depth $h$. Neglect surface tension and viscosity, assume incompressible flow and irrotational flow, and impose a flat impermeable bottom. With $k>0$ and positive angular frequency,Here $g$ is gravitational acceleration and $\tanh$ is the hyperbolic tangent. Deep water means $kh\gg 1$: $\omega \simeq \sqrt{gk}$ and longer wavelengths have larger phase speed. Shallow water means $kh\ll 1$: $\omega \simeq \sqrt{gh}k$, an approximately nondispersive wave. Thus depth relative to wavelength, rather than depth alone, determines whether crests and wave packets travel together.^[ref]

The dispersion diagram below also includes the ideal deep-water capillary wave limit $\omega =\sqrt{\gamma /\rho }{k}^{3/2}$, where $\gamma$ is surface tension and $\rho$ is mass density. This limit requires the surface tension restoring term to dominate gravity; it reverses the trend of the surface gravity wave, giving larger phase speed at shorter wavelength. The combined gravity-capillary wave has ${\omega }^2=gk+(\gamma /\rho )k^3$.^[ref]

The curves use dimensionless normalizations chosen separately for each model; they are analytical diagrams, not experimental data. Their beauty is that a single dispersion relation encodes several observable behaviours: its value gives the angular frequency, its origin-to-point slope gives the one-dimensional phase velocity, its tangent slope gives the group velocity, and variation of that tangent slope predicts distortion of a wave packet. A straight line through the origin describes a nondispersive wave; an affine branch $\omega =ck+b$ with $b\ne 0$ has constant group velocity but phase velocity $c+b/k$, so those properties must be distinguished.

Use physical electric fields $\mathbf{E}(t)=\mathrm{Re}[\hat{\mathbf{E}}{e}^{-i\omega t}]$ and current densities $\mathbf{J}(t)=\mathrm{Re}[\hat{\mathbf{J}}{e}^{-i\omega t}]$, with peak complex amplitudes. After the initial transient has decayed, substitution into the Drude model equation gives the complex conductivityHere the mobile species is electrons. With the alternative $e^{+i\omega t}$ convention, the denominator is $1+i\omega \tau$ and the imaginary part changes sign; the physical response is identical.^[ref]

For $E_x(t)=E_0\cos \omega t$ with $\omega >0$, the real-time current density isThus a positive argument of complex conductivity in the $e^{-i\omega t}$ convention means that current density lags the electric field. At $\omega \tau =1$, its real part and imaginary part are both ${\sigma }_0/2$, its modulus is ${\sigma }_0/\sqrt{2}$, and the lag is $\pi /4$.

For $\omega \tau \ll 1$, complex conductivity tends to the positive constant ${\sigma }_0$: current density nearly follows the electric field. For $\omega \tau \gg 1$ within this model,The current density amplitude decreases and its response becomes predominantly inertial. Average power absorbed per volume is $\overline{p}=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{Re}\sigma |\hat{\mathbf{E}}{|}^2\ge 0$. These limits describe the material response to a specified local electric field, not the complete electromagnetic response of a finite specimen with contacts. The Drude response has its pole at $\omega =-i/\tau$, consistent with the decaying causal response of a first-order relaxation equation.

The simple Drude model does not predict the microscopic momentum relaxation time. It neglects electronic band structure and Fermi-Dirac statistics; a useful semiclassical extension replaces $m$ by an appropriate band effective mass, but neither a single scalar mass nor one constant momentum relaxation time describes every material. Several charge carriers, energy-dependent scattering, and transitions between electronic bands can spoil the simple Drude frequency response. A successful low-angular frequency fit does not justify extrapolation to arbitrarily large angular frequencies.

Electrical impedance is the ratio of terminal electric potential difference and electric current phasors at one specified positive angular frequency $\omega$. For an electrical circuit modeled as a linear time-invariant system, use the sinusoidal steady state after any decaying transient has settled. With the passive sign convention, positive electric current enters the terminal assigned positive electric potential difference. Define peak complex amplitudes byThe physical $v(t)$ and $i(t)$ are real; the complex numbers encode their amplitudes and wave phases. The unit of electrical impedance is the ohm, $1\Omega =1\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{A}$. Both phasors may instead use root mean square magnitudes, with the same ratio $Z$. A nonlinear diode can generate additional frequencies; a single $Z(\omega )$ then does not describe the whole response.

Write the electrical impedance in Cartesian and polar forms asHere $R$ is the resistive real part, $X$ the signed electrical reactance, and $\varphi$ the voltage-minus-current phase difference, defined modulo a full turn. The Pythagorean theorem gives the modulus from a right triangle in the complex plane. The complex argument gives the rotation from the current phasor to the voltage phasor. Thus $V_{\mathrm{rms}}=|Z|I_{\mathrm{rms}}$, while negative $\varphi$ means electric current leads terminal electric potential difference. For $R>0$, $\varphi =\arctan (X/R)$ lies between $-\pi /2$ and $\pi /2$; outside that case, use the quadrant of the complex number rather than a bare inverse tangent. The geometric magnitude and phase difference are the two pieces of the AC relation.^[ref]

Multiplication by $Z$ acts on phasors, not on instantaneous physical signals. For example, when $i(t)=I_0\cos \omega t$,The second term is in phase quadrature with electric current; it cannot be represented by pointwise multiplication $v(t)=Zi(t)$ when $X\ne 0$. This is the useful compression: one complex multiplication replaces separate amplitude and phase difference calculations, while the real part restores the physical signal.

An ideal resistor, inductor and capacitor have $Z_R=R$, $Z_L=\mathrm{i}\omega L$ and $Z_C=1/(\mathrm{i}\omega C)$. Their electrical impedances add in a series RLC circuit, giving $Z=R+\mathrm{i}(\omega L-1/(\omega C))$. The current amplitude is $V_0/|Z|$, so cancellation of the imaginary parts explains the resonant series RLC response. The component-law derivation and opposite complex exponential convention are in reactance phase convention.

Two equal complex amplitudes with opposite transverse wavevector components sum to a cosine across a strip with edges $y=\pm a/2$. Identical phases satisfy the edge condition only for the odd transverse indices displayed. Equal magnitudes with opposite phase give the sine family; together the families form all Dirichlet strip modes $n\pi /a$, $n\ge 1$. The lowest axial phase velocity exceeds the unrestricted membrane wave speed, while its group velocity is smaller; neither should be substituted for the other.

The evanescent field in total internal reflection oscillates and advances in wave phase along the boundary while its wave amplitude decays away from it. With the coordinates above and time dependence $e^{-i\omega t}$, a TE polarization has complex amplitudeThe physical electric field is $\mathrm{Re}[\mathbf{E}(x,z)e^{-i\omega t}]$. The decaying sign excludes a field that grows without bound at $z\to \infty$. Dielectric-interface boundary conditions determine $A$; for nongrazing incidence it is generally nonzero.^[ref]

Zero normal energy flux follows directly from Maxwell equations. The wavevector is $(q,0,i\kappa )$; the relation $\mathbf{H}=(\mathbf{k}\times \mathbf{E})/(\omega {\mu }_0)$ givesConsequently, the cycle-averaged Poynting vector isThe electric field and $H_x$ are a quarter-cycle apart, so their product has zero cycle average. Tangential energy flux survives. This is a local calculation for the single decaying evanescent wave in the infinite second half-space.

To check reflected power independently, put $a=n_1{k}_0\cos \theta >0$. The existing transverse-electric Fresnel reflection coefficient becomes $r=(a-i\kappa )/(a+i\kappa )$. Its numerator and denominator are complex conjugates, so $|r{|}^2=1$, while $1+r=2a/(a+i\kappa )\ne 0$ supplies the surface electric field relative to the incident wave amplitude. Thus a unit optical reflectance does not require a zero transmitted field. The same normal power balance holds for TM polarization; its reflected wave phase generally differs from the TE polarization phase. A mixture can therefore change its polarization of an electromagnetic wave on reflection even though all normal incident power returns.

A Fabry–Pérot interferometer uses repeated specular reflections between two nearly parallel, partially transmitting surfaces. Its transmitted light is the sum of contributions that have made zero, one, two, or more additional round trips. Their complex amplitudes reinforce only near particular wave phases, producing narrow transmission peaks that select wavelength intervals. Scanning the spacing or angle of incidence can build an imaging spectral cube: an image at each selected wavelength.

The surprising feature is that highly reflecting mirrors can together transmit all the incident power at resonance in the ideal symmetric, lossless model. Each individual contribution is weak, but many contributions arrive in phase. Between resonances the same contributions cancel strongly. Increasing mirror reflectivity sharpens the peaks instead of simply suppressing every transmitted signal; finesse quantifies that selectivity. An optical spectrum with nearby spectral lines can therefore produce distinguishable peaks, provided their separation is large enough relative to the instrument's peak width and their orders are identified.

Charles Fabry and Alfred Perot developed the instrument together; Optica dates its development from 1896 to 1898.^[ref]

Consider two identical, lossless parallel mirrors with intensity reflectivity $0\le R<1$, separation $d$, and a uniform transparent medium of refractive index $n$. Fix one polarization of an electromagnetic wave and an internal angle of incidence $\theta$ measured from the mirror normal vector. Illuminate with a monochromatic wave having planar wavefronts; the emerging contributions must overlap coherently in the detected direction. Define $T=I_{\mathrm{transmitted}}/I_{\mathrm{incident}}$ using the same incident and exit media. Each mirror transmits a fraction $1-R$ of incident power. Its reflected wave amplitude has magnitude $\sqrt{R}$, so two internal specular reflections multiply the circulating complex amplitude by magnitude $R$, not $R^2$.

Let $\lambda$ be the vacuum wavelength and choose the reflection wave phase convention in which the product of the two internal amplitude reflection coefficients is real and positive. The phase difference between successive transmitted contributions, evaluated on a common outgoing wavefront, isWith other mirror coatings or phase conventions, use the total $\delta =4\pi nd\cos \theta /\lambda +{\varphi }_{\mathrm{rt}}$, where ${\varphi }_{\mathrm{rt}}$ is the sum of the two internal reflection wave phases. The stated resonance positions presume ${\varphi }_{\mathrm{rt}}=0$ modulo $2\pi$; a constant nonzero ${\varphi }_{\mathrm{rt}}$ shifts them, while a frequency-dependent one can also change their spacing.

Why does the cosine appear rather than its reciprocal? Inside the gap, the extra two legs have optical path length $2nd/\cos \theta$. But the later emerging contribution starts $2d\tan \theta$ farther along the mirror. Comparing both on one outgoing wavefront subtracts $2nd\tan \theta \sin \theta$ from that path difference, leaving $2nd\cos \theta$. Equivalently, a plane wave's mirror-normal wavevector component is $k_z=(2\pi n/\lambda )\cos \theta$, so the round-trip wave phase is $2k_{z}d$. The diagram uses the same medium outside and inside to show the common-wavefront subtraction directly; at a refracting exit interface, tangential wavevector matching in Snell's law supplies the same result.

Absorb the common first-pass wave phase into the incident complex amplitude $E_{\mathrm{in}}$. Successive transmitted contributions are $(1-R)E_{\mathrm{in}}$, $(1-R)E_{\mathrm{in}}R{e}^{i\delta }$, and so on. The superposition principle and the convergent geometric series giveThe last step expands the squared complex modulus as $1+R^2-2R\cos \delta$. This transmission profile is often called the Airy transmission function; it is distinct from the Airy disk, a diffraction image of a circular aperture. The University of Washington's lab handout gives the same transmission profile and distinguishes mirror reflectivity from other sources of peak broadening.^[ref]

For an original example, set $R=3/4$. At $\delta =0$, the amplitudes add to $(1/4)/(1-3/4)=1$, so $T=1$. At $\delta =\pi$, they alternate in sign and add to $(1/4)/(1+3/4)=1/7$, so $T=1/49$. At $\delta =\pi /2$, the amplitude is $4/25+3i/25$ and $T=1/25$. Adding the individual intensities instead would give $(1-R{)}^2{\sum }_j{R}^{2j}=(1-R)/(1+R)=1/7$, independent of wave phase; that discards the wave interference responsible for the peaks.

In general the maximum is $T_{\max }=1$ at $\delta =2\pi m$, with integer $m$, and the minimum is $T_{\min }=[(1-R)/(1+R){]}^2$ halfway between peaks. Perfect resonant transmission requires identical lossless mirrors, coherent illumination, and sufficient time to establish the steady field. Absorption, unequal mirror transmission, finite beams that fail to overlap, and fluctuations of $d$ can reduce it. The exactly reflecting case $R=1$ is excluded: no incident power enters through a perfectly reflecting mirror, and the resonant limit $R\to 1^{-}$ is singular.