Enquiry for Science Major/Minor/Programme Requirements
PHYS7852 Photonics and metamaterials (6 credits) Academic Year 2026
Offering Department Physics Quota ---
Course Co-ordinator Prof S Zhang, Physics < shuzhang@hku.hk >
Teachers Involved (Prof S Zhang,Physics)
Course Objectives In the last two decades, tremendous progress has been made in the manipulation of light propagation using structured photonic media - metamaterials, with negative refraction, super-imaging and invisibility cloaking as the most well-known examples. These new discoveries are paving ways towards many potential applications of photonic structures, including imaging, display, holography, and information processing. This course aims at providing the fundamental understanding of the interaction of light with structured media whose unit cells are much smaller than the wavelength of light, and the design and functionalities of various metamaterial-based photonic devices. The course text is primarily designed for senior undergraduate students and postgraduate students and requires some knowledge on electromagnetism and optics. On the other hand, it will also be of interest to graduate students since it includes some most recent results in the field of metamaterials and nanophotonics.
Course Contents & Topics Topics include: Modeling of interaction of light with periodic structures, gratings, photonic crystals; coupled mode theory; interaction of light with metals, covering both propagating and localized surface plasmon polaritons; effective-medium description of the unconventional electromagnetic properties of metamaterials, such as negative permeability and negative refraction, zero refractive index, hyperbolic metamaterial, chirality and bi-anisotropy; design of the unit cells of the metamaterials based on plasmonic structures for achieving various electromagnetic properties and functionalities; transformation optics and invisibility cloaks; metamaterial devices, including super-imaging lenses, meta-lenses, metasurface holography etc.; nonlinear optical properties of metamaterials and metasurfaces; photonic systems with Parity-time symmetry; metamaterial approach for designing the topological properties for light.
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

CLO 1 learn the modeling of interaction of light with periodic structures
CLO 2 understand the interaction of light with plasmonic structures at subwavelength scale
CLO 3 learn the homogenization and retrieval of electromagnetic properties for structured media
CLO 4 learn how to design metamaterials with bespoke electromagnetic properties
CLO 5 understand the operation of various metamaterial based photonic devices
CLO 6 understand the linear and nonlinear interaction of light with metasurfaces
CLO 7 understand the topological properties of metamaterials
Pre-requisites
(and Co-requisites and
Impermissible combinations)		 Pass in PHYS3850 and PHYS4450.
This course is mutually exclusive with PHYS8852.
Course Status with Related Major/Minor /Professional Core 2026 Major in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Major in Physics (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Minor in Astronomy ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Minor in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Major in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Major in Physics (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Minor in Astronomy ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Minor in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Physics (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Minor in Astronomy ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Minor in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Physics (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Astronomy ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Physics ( Disciplinary Elective )
Course to PLO Mapping 2026 Major in Physics < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2026 Major in Physics (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2025 Major in Physics < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2025 Major in Physics (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2024 Major in Physics < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2024 Major in Physics (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2023 Major in Physics < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
2023 Major in Physics (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,3,4 >
Offer in 2026 - 2027 Y        1st sem    Examination Dec     
Offer in 2027 - 2028 Y
Course Grade A+ to F
Grade Descriptors
A Demonstrate thorough mastery at an advanced level of extensive knowledge and skills required for attaining all the course learning outcomes. Show strong analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, with evidence of original thought, and ability to apply knowledge to a wide range of complex, familiar and unfamiliar situations. Apply highly effective organizational and presentational skills.
B Demonstrate substantial command of a broad range of knowledge and skills required for attaining at least most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to familiar and some unfamiliar situations. Apply effective organizational and presentational skills.
C Demonstrate general but incomplete command of knowledge and skills required for attaining most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to most familiar situations. Apply moderately effective organizational and presentational skills.
D Demonstrate partial but limited command of knowledge and skills required for attaining some of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some coherent and logical thinking, but with limited analytical and critical abilities. Show limited ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Apply limited or barely effective organizational and presentational skills.
Fail Demonstrate little or no evidence of command of knowledge and skills required for attaining the course learning outcomes. Lack of analytical and critical abilities, logical and coherent thinking. Show very little or no ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Organization and presentational skills are minimally effective or ineffective.
Communication-intensive Course N
Course Type Lecture-based course
Course Teaching
& Learning Activities
Activities Details No. of Hours
Lectures 36.0
Tutorials 12.0
Reading / Self study 80.0
Assessment Methods
and Weighting
Methods Details Weighting in final
course grade (%)		 Assessment Methods
to CLO Mapping
Assignments 50.0 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Examination 2-hour written exam 50.0 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Required/recommended reading
and online materials		 S. A. Maier, Plasmonics: Fundamentals and Applications, Springer, 2007
W Cai and V. M. Shalaev, Optical Metamaterials, Springer, 2010
Course Website http://moodle.hku.hk
Additional Course Information


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