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Semiconductor Optoelectronics
Two energy bands
Conduction band (CB)
Valence band (VB)
Fundamental processes
Absorbed photon creates an electron-hole pair
Recombination of an electron and hole can emit a photon
Stimulated emission
A photon excites another electron and hole to recombine
Emitted photon has similar wavelength, direction, and phase
Dominant emission for laser diodes
Semiconductor Material
Semiconductor crystal is required
Type IV elements on Periodic Table
Silicon
Germanium
GaAs
InP
AlAs
GaP
InAs
CB
Direct Bandgap
Ec
Eg
Indirect Bandgap, Eg
Photon
CB
Ev
kcb
VB
k k
k
(a) GaAs
VB kvb
(b) Si
Ec
CB
Er
Ev
k
Ec
Phonon
Ev
VB
(c) Si with a recombination center
(a) In GaAs the minimum of the CB is directly above the maximum of the VB. GaAs is
therefore a direct bandgap semiconductor. (b) In Si, the minimum of the CB is displaced from
the maximum of the VB and Si is an indirect bandgap semiconductor. (c) Recombination of
an electron and a hole in Si involves a recombination center .
1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
Excitation
E
Electron (excited by the biased
forward voltage) is in the conduction
band
Light Emission
Eg E2 E1
hc
1.24
m
Eg Eg eV
Emission wavelength, g
The number of radiative recombination is proportional to the carrier
injection rate
g = hc/Eg
Visible LED
Definition:
LED which could emit visible light, the band gap of the materials that we use
must be in the region of visible wavelength = 390- 770nm. This coincides with
the energy value of 3.18eV- 1.61eV which corresponds to colours as stated
below:
Colour of an
LED should
emits
Violet
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
~ 3.17eV
~ 2.73eV
~ 2.52eV
~ 2.15eV
~ 2.08eV
~ 1.62eV
Light Spectrum
Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Visible lights
V ~ 3.17eV
B ~ 2.73eV
G ~ 2.52eV
Y ~ 2.15eV
O ~ 2.08eV
R ~ 1.62eV
What is an LED?
LED are semiconductor p-n junctions that under
forward bias conditions can emit radiation by
electroluminescence in the UV, visible or infrared
regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The qaunta of light energy released is
approximately proportional to the band gap of the
semiconductor.
LED
When a light-emitting diode is
forward biased, electrons are able
to recombine with holes within the
device, releasing energy in the
form of photons.
P-n junction
Electrical
Contacts
Recombination
produces light!!
Luminescence
Luminescence is a term used to describe the emission of
radiation from a solid when the solid is supplied with
some form of energy.
Electroluminescence excitation results from the
application of an electric field
In a p-n junction diode injection electroluminescence
occurs resulting in light emission when the junction is
forward biased
Injection Luminescence
Under forward bias majority carriers from both sides of the
junction can cross the depletion region and entering the
material at the other side.
Upon entering, the majority carriers become minority carriers
For example, electrons in n-type (majority carriers) enter the
p-type to become minority carriers
The minority carriers will be larger minority carrier
injection
Minority carriers will diffuse and recombine with the majority
carrier.
For example, the electrons as minority carriers in the pregion will recombine with the holes. Holes are the majority
carrier in the p-region.
The recombination causes light to be emitted
Such process is termed radiative recombination.
2.
3.
4.
5.
(a)
Ideal LED will have all injection electrons to take part in the
recombination process
In real device not all electron will recombine with holes to radiate light
Sometimes recombination occurs but no light is being emitted (nonradiative)
Efficiency of the device therefore can be described
Efficiency is the rate of photon emission over the rate of supply
electrons
p
n+
Eg
Holes in VB
p
Eg
eVo
Electrons in CB
(b)
n+
h =Eg
Efficient LED