Preface

Glossary of Symbols

Semiconductor Optics and Optoelectronics I: Fundamentals

Maxwell's Equations

Electromagnetic Radiation in Vacuum

Electromagnetic Radiation in Matter

Band Theory: Origin of Energy Bands

Band Theory: Classification of Materials

Crystallographic Considerations

Dispersion Relations

Definition of the Photon

Common Examples of Semiconductors in Optoelectronics

Temperature Dependency

Semiconductor Optics and Optoelectronics II: Charge Carrier Statistics

Electron Configuration

Hund's Rule and Pauli's Exclusion Principle

Klechkowsky's Rule (Madelung’s Rule)

Semiconductor Charge Carriers: Energy Bands

Fermi–Dirac Distribution Function

Fermi Level and Band Theory

Density of States

Occupation Probabilities

n-Doped and p-Doped Semiconductors

Example of Doping: Silicon

Semiconductor Optics and Optoelectronics III: Transport Properties

Mobility

Conduction

Diffusion

Total Current

Generation and Recombination: Radiative and Nonradiative

Continuity Equations for Carriers

p–n Junction

Homogeneous Semiconductor

Nonhomogeneous Semiconductor

Thermodynamic Equilibrium in p–n Junctions: Bands and Carriers

Diffusion Voltage and Potential Barrier

p–n Junction Bias: Diode

Forward and Reverse Bias

I-V Characteristics

Heterojunctions

Macroscopic Light–Matter Interaction

Boundary Conditions

Reflection and Refraction

Noether's Theorem

Conservation Laws

Fresnel Formulae: Interfaces

Extinction and Absorption of Light

Transmission

Birefringence

Dichroism

Filters

Thin Film Filters

Fabry–Pérot Modes

Microscopic and Quantum Light–Matter Interaction

Absorption

Scattering

Scales in MIE and Rayleigh Scattering

Spontaneous Emission

Stimulated Emission

Plasmons

Quantum Dots

Optical Waveguides

Light-Guiding Mechanisms

Planar Waveguides

Waveguide Coupling

Diffractive Elements in Waveguides

Optical Fibers

Light Propagation in Optical Fibers: Multimode, Few-Mode, and Single-Mode

Microstructured Optical Fibers: Hollow-Core and Photonic Bandgap Fibers

Fiber Bundles

Diffractive Elements in Optical Fibers

Optoelectronic Devices

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

LED Efficiency

Semiconductor Laser Diodes

Diode-Pumped Solid-State Lasers (DPSSLs)

Fiber Lasers

Photodiodes

Avalanche Photodiodes

Photomultiplier Tubes

Photonics and Its Applications: Devices

Solar Cells

Practical Use of Solar Cells

Organic Photovoltaic Devices and Organic LEDs

Optical Modulators: Acousto-optic and Electro-optic

Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs)

Optical Fiber Devices

Optical Fiber Sensors

Photonic Lanterns

Photonics: Applications of Its Physical Properties

Photonic Crystals

Parametric Conversion

UV–VIS Spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Raman Spectroscopy

Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors

Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry (OTDR)

Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors

Laser Micromachining I: Ablation

Laser Micromachining II: Photopolymerization

Laser Micromachining III: Two-Photon

Equation Summary

Bibliography of Further Reading

Index

The material in this Field Guide to Optoelectronics and Photonics derives from the notes gathered and created for the lectures taught by the authors at both undergraduate and graduate levels at the School of Sciences and the School of Engineering of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The topics included in the Field Guide are covered in curricular courses such as Biomedical Applications of Optoelectronics (Undergraduate level, School of Engineering), Introduction to Photonics and Radiation–Matter Interaction (School of Sciences, Physics Department), Introduction to Photonics (Graduate level, Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering), and in the lectures of Optical Waveguides and Photonic Devices (Graduate level, Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering).

This volume covers the physics of semiconductors, from the materials used in optoelectronics and photonics to charge statistics and transport to p–n junctions and their applications. It then addresses the physics of the interactions between radiation and matter at different levels—macroscopic, microscopic, and quantum—and includes the fundamentals concepts of waveguides and fiber optics and photonics devices such as light modulators. It finally highlights important applications of the field in engineering and applied physics.

The text summarizes the scientific and engineering foundations of optoelectronics and photonics and thus can be used as a textbook for college students, although it could be useful for practicing scientists and engineers as well. As with any other text aimed at covering a broad range of topics, some practical details had to be left out due to space constraints. Issues regarding operation of photonic and optoelectronic devices, such as power supply and control, are not covered in the text. The readers are thus left with the task of investigating these aspects that are relevant for practical purposes but in some cases can be very specific to a particular application.

Juan Hernández-Cordero would like to thank Amado Velázquez-Benítez for his support in teaching the photonics courses, particularly those covering topics on waveguides and devices. Mathieu Hautefeuille would like to give a special acknowledgement to Edwige Bano for her initial introduction to the field of physics of semiconductors (and her precious material) in Grenoble and to Reinher Pimentel for his support as a Teaching Assistant dating back to the initial stages of the courses.

Finally, we both appreciate our interaction with all of the motivated students who have attended our lectures, especially those who stayed longer to experiment with us in our labs. They greatly motivated us to assemble this Field Guide, which we hope will become a useful and handy compendium of some of the most relevant topics related to the myriad of applications of optoelectronics and photonics.

JHC lovingly dedicates this book to Margo and daughters, Lía, Siena, and Katya, who have always been and will remain his source of inspiration. The book is also dedicated to the memory of his mother.

MH dedicates this book to Jimena and sons, Noah and Teo, who patiently support him and whose curiosity always stimulates his will to learn.

Juan A. Hernández-Cordero
Mathieu Hautefeuille
October 2021