Physics for Electrical Engineering: Unit IV: Optical Properties of Materials
Optical Processes in Semiconductors
The interaction between light (photons) and electrons in the semiconductor provides a variety of phenomena. These are used in the field of opto electronics.
OPTICAL PROCESSES IN SEMICONDUCTORS
When
light incident on a semiconductor, an electron in the valence band goes to the
conduction band. This process generates electron-hole pairs. It is also
possible for an electron and a hole to recombine and emit light.
The
interaction between light (photons) and electrons in the semiconductor provides
a variety of phenomena. These are used in the field of opto electronics.
The
important optoelectronic interaction in semiconductors. is the band-to-band
transition (Fig.4.1). In the photon absorption process, a photon scatters an
electron in the valence band.
Thus, electron jumps to the conduction band and leaving a hole in VB. In the reverse process the electron in the conduction band recombines with a hole in the valence band to generate a photon.
These
two processes are importance for light-detection and light-emission devices.
The rate of the light-emission and absorption processes are determined by
quantum mechanics.
Physics for Electrical Engineering: Unit IV: Optical Properties of Materials : Tag: : - Optical Processes in Semiconductors
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Physics for Electrical Engineering
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