6. Optoelectronic Devices and Applications
Optoelectronics is the study of the interaction between light and electronics, utilizing compound semiconductors for devices such as LEDs, laser diodes, and photodetectors. These devices play crucial roles in diverse applications, including communication, lighting, displays, and sensing. Key principles include direct bandgap materials that enable efficient light generation and detection, bandgap tuning via alloys, and the functional applications of these devices across various sectors.
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What we have learnt
- Optoelectronic devices are based on the interaction between light and electronics.
- Compound semiconductors are preferable for light applications because of their direct bandgap properties.
- Applications of optoelectronic devices span various fields including communications, healthcare, and consumer electronics.
Key Concepts
- -- Optoelectronics
- The field that combines optics and electronics to develop devices that emit, detect, and control light.
- -- Direct Bandgap
- A property of certain semiconductors that allows for efficient light emission by enabling electron-hole recombination with the release of photons.
- -- Photodetector
- A device that converts light into an electrical current; it functions based on the generation of electron-hole pairs by incident photons.
- -- Laser Diode
- A semiconductor device that emits coherent light through the process of stimulated emission of photons in a p-n junction.
- -- LED (Light Emitting Diode)
- A semiconductor light source that emits light when current flows through it, resulting from electron-hole recombination.
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