Optoelectronics: Materials, Processes, Devices

(3-0-0-3)

CMPE Degree: This course is Not Applicable for the CMPE degree.

EE Degree: This course is Not Applicable for the EE degree.

Lab Hours: 0 supervised lab hours and 0 unsupervised lab hours.

Technical Interest Group(s) / Course Type(s): Courses for non-ECE majors, Nanotechnology, Optics and Photonics

Course Coordinator:

Prerequisites: None.

Corequisites: None.

Catalog Description

Optoelectronic materials, physical processes, and devices. Includes
compound semiconductor materials, excitation, recombination, gain, and
modulation processes and devices such as emitters, detectors, and
modulators. Crosslisted with PHYS 6771.

Textbook(s)

Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices

Course Outcomes

Not Applicable

Student Outcomes

In the parentheses for each Student Outcome:
"P" for primary indicates the outcome is a major focus of the entire course.
“M” for moderate indicates the outcome is the focus of at least one component of the course, but not majority of course material.
“LN” for “little to none” indicates that the course does not contribute significantly to this outcome.

1. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

2. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

3. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

4. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

5. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

6. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

7. ( Not Applicable ) An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Strategic Performance Indicators (SPIs)

Outcome 1 (Students will demonstrate expertise in a subfield of study chosen from the fields of electrical engineering or computer engineering):
1. Explain the fundamental physical concepts associated with the materials, devices and processes used to produce, detect, or control light.
2. Relate basic physical concepts to the principle of operation, performance, and future optimization of optoelectronic devices and systems.

Outcome 2 (Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate advanced problems and apply knowledge of mathematics and science to solve those problems):
1. Understand the linear optical properties of transparent dielectric materials and waveguides, the nonlinear optical properties of electro-optic materials, and apply that knowledge to design and test electro-optic light modulators.
2. Understand the principles of light emission in organic and inorganic semiconductors, determine the luminance, quantum efficiency, and luminous efficiency of light sources, and design displays and signage based on light-emitting diodes.

Outcome 3 (Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize current knowledge, technology, or techniques within their chosen subfield):
1. Design, fabricate, and test optoelectronics devices such as electro-optic devices, light-emitting diodes and lasers, photovoltaics devices and modules, photodetectors, and sensors.

Course Objectives

Topical Outline

Review of Bulk Semiconductor Electronic Properties
Material Composition
Crystal Growth and Device Processing
Bandstructure, Statistics, Carrier Transport
Bulk Semiconductor Optoelectronic Properties
Generation-recombination mechanisms
Impact ionization
Optical absorption (including with electric fields)
Spontaneous and stimulated emission, and gain
Junction and Heterostructures
Homojunctions
Heterojunctions
MS and MIS junction
Quantum Confinement
Quantum wells
Superlattices and minibands
Optical properties of quantum heterostructures
Characterization of Optoelectronic Structures
Characterization methods for macro-structures
Characterization methods for quantum structures
Photodetectors
Basic photonic detection
Photoconductors
Junction photodiodes
Advanced photodiodes
Photodetector comparisons: responsivity, gain, bandwidth, noise
Emitters
Light emitting diodes
Advanced spontaneous emitters
Review of laser operation: gain + cavity resonance
Homojunction and heterojunction lasers
Quantum well and multiple quantum well lasers
Advanced emitters
Emitter comparisons: I-V, L-I, bandwidth, linewidth, linearity,
temperature sensitivity
Modulators
Analog and digital modulation
Electroabsorption and electrorefraction devices
Acousto-optic and electro-optic devices
Quantum confined Stark effect devices (including SEED)
Liquid crystal modulators
Modulator comparisons: operational bandwidth, speed, contrast
ratio, switching energy, temperature sensitivity