Optical Properties of Solids

Optical Properties of Solids, Mark Fox, Oxford University Press, London

Classification of Optical Processes

Absorption Luminescence Non-linear process

Luminescence:
Photoluminescence Electroluminescence Cathodoluminescence Florescence Phosphorescence Excitation methods

Optical path

Optical Coefficient
1. Coefficient of reflection (R) and transmission (T): Ratio of the reflected (transmitted) power to the power incident on the surface R+T = 1 The ratio of the velocity of light in free space c to the velocity of light in the medium v n = c v

2. Refractive index (n) :

3. Absorption coefficient (): The fraction of the power absorbed in a unit length of the medium Beers Law: I(z) = I0 exp(-z)

Optical Materials
1. Crystalline insulator and semiconductor 2. Glass Transparent in visible region e.g. Silica Prisms, lenses, windows. Optical fiber (low absorption and scattering) 3. Metals

Transparency range ( is small) Electronic and vibrational absorption High reflective coefficient Plasma frequency

Optical Materials
3. Molecular materials Large organic molecules Saturated vs. unsaturated structure Conjugated system: delocalized electron Dye molecules Tunable emission wavelength 4. Doped glass, insulators & semiconductors

Bandgap tuning e.g. alloy semiconductor CdxZn1-xSe Quantum size effect Doped with optically active atom in colorless host e.g. ruby crystal: Cr3+ in Al2O3

Interband Absorption
Electrons are excited between the bands of a solid by making optical transition

Ef = Ei + h Direct bandgap:

Indirect bandgap: Relative position of conduction band and valence band is not matched The transition involve phonon to conserve momentum Ef = Ei + h + indirect = (h Eg )2

h < Eg, (h) = 0 h Eg, (h) = (h Eg)

Luminescence
Spontaneous emission when electron in excited states drop down to a lower level by radiative emission Spontaneous emission rate:

R = A-1
Non-radiative emission:

Electron in excited states will relax rapidly to lowest level in the excited band Sharp emission peak If R << NR, R 1 (maximum light will be emitted)

Interband Luminescence
Direct bandgap materials Indirect bandgap materials

Allowed transition e.g. GaN, CdS, ZnS

short lifetime (ns)

Second order process involve phonon Low emission efficiency e.g. Si, Ge

Narrow emission line close to bandgap

Photoluminescence
Excited by a photon with energy > Eg (laser or UV lamp) Diagnostic and development tool for semiconductor research Distribution of optically excited electrons and holes in their band:

Photoluminescence
Low carrier density

High carrier density Photon energy (h): between Eg and Eg + EcF + EvF Relatively broad peak

Electroluminescence
Luminescence is generated while an electrical current flows through an optoelectronic devices Two main types of devices: LEDs and LDs

p-n junction: carriers injection active region: electron-hole recombination and define emission color forward bias: overcome the potential barrier at p-n junction

Light-Emitting Diodes

Factors to determine the choice of material: direct bandgap materials bandgap size constraints relating to lattice matching the ease of p-type doping e.g. nitride, arsenide and phosphide systems

Laser Diodes
Stimulated emission (optical amplification) Advantages: output efficiency, spectral linewidth and beam coherence

Normal condition: N1 > N2 absorption rate > stimulated rate no beam amplification

absorption:

Only if N1 > N2 : stimulated rate > absorption rate for lasing!

population inversion is the condition

Stimulated emission:

Laser Diodes
1. Carrier injection: create population inversion between conduction and valence band net optical gain

2. Optical cavity: light is reflected back and forth within the cavity to increase the optical gain (overcome the loss)