Appendix K: Physical Constants and Optical Quantities

K.1  Fundamental Physical Constants

Physical constants useful in optics are listed in Table K.1. The values of these constants are those listed by the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) available at the time of publication.

The format and context of the tables included here is adapted from Duarte (2003).

K.2  Conversion Quantities

Conversion quantities often used in optics are listed in Table K.2. The conversion values for the electron volt and the atomic mass unit are the values listed by NIST available at the time of publication.

TABLE K.1

Fundamental Physical Constants

Name

Symbol

Value

Units

Boltzmann’s constant

kB

1.3806488 × 10−23

J K−1

Elementary charge

e

1.6021 76 565 × 10−19

C

Newtonian constant of gravitation

G

6.67384 × 10−11

m3 kg−1 s−2

Magnetic constanta,b

μ0

4π × 10−7

N A−2

Electric constantc

ε0

8.854187817 × 10−12

F m−1

Planck’s constant

h

6.62606957 × 10−34

J s

Speed of light in vacuum

c

2.99792458 × 108

m s−1

a  Also known as permeability of vacuum.

b  π = 3.141592654…

c  Also known as permittivity of vacuum.

TABLE K.2

Conversion Quantities

Name

Symbol

Value

Units

Electron volt

eV

1.602176565 × 10−19

J

Atomic mass unit

u

1.660538921 × 10−27

kg

Frequency

ν

Hz = s−1

Linewidth

∆ν = c/∆x

Hz

Linewidth

∆λ = λ2/∆x

m

Wavelength

λ = c/ν

m

Wave number

k = 2π/λ

m−1

1 reciprocal cm

1 cm−1

2.99792458 × 101

GHz

K.3  Units of Optical Quantities

Units of optical quantities used throughout this book are listed in Table K.3.

TABLE K.3

Units of Optical Quantities

Name

Symbol

Unitsa

Angular dispersion

∇λϕ

m−1

Angular frequency

ω = 2πν

Hz

Beam divergence

∆θ

rad

Beam magnification

M

Dimensionless

Beam waist

w

m

Cross section

σ

m2

Diffraction limited ∆θ

∆θ = λ/πw

rad

Energy

E

J

Frequency

ν

Hz

Intensity

I

J s−1 m−2

Laser linewidth

∆ν

Hz

Laser linewidth

∆λ

m

Power

P

W = J s−1

Rayleigh length

LR = π w2/λ

m

Refractive index

n

Dimensionless

Time

t

s

Wavelength

λ

m

Wave number

k = 2π/λ

m−1

Wave number

k = ω/c

m−1

a  Quantities like I and σ are also used in cgs units.

Reference

Duarte, F. J. (2003). Tunable Laser Optics. Elsevier-Academic, New York.

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