E7-214: Optoelectronic devices - January - April 2019

Instructor: Dr. Varun Raghunathan

Class schedule: M,W,F 12-1 PM

Venue: ECE Room # 1.07

  • Course description: The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of various semiconductor and non-semiconductor based optoelectronic devices (light emitters, detectors, modulators etc.) from the perspective of the application of such devices to building photonic systems. The expected outcomes from the course are: (i) understanding of the basic working mechanism of the devices, (ii) understanding of the governing equations to be able to perform calculations to characterize the performance of the devices and, (iii) the practical knowledge and an understanding of the trade-offs when using these devices in their respective applications.

It is expected that the students have the required pre-requisite basic Maths background, especially under-graduate level

calculus and have also completed an under- graduate level courses in electro-magnetics and semiconductors.

This course will cover the following topics: introduction to Optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs), various components and applications, quick refresher into semiconductors and electro-magnetics at optical frequencies, optical processes in semiconductors, light sources (LEDs, semiconductor lasers), light detectors (PMTs, photo-diodes, APDs), sensor arrays (CCD,CMOS), noise processes in light generation and detection, photo-voltaic devices, light modulators (electro-optic, Franz- Keldysh/ Stark effect, acousto-optic) and magneto-optic effects. Detailed course syllabus can be found below.

[1] Lecture 1 (Course orientation): Lecture1.pdf

[2] Lecture 2 (Introduction to Electro-optic/ photonic systems): Lecture2.pdf

[2] Lecture 3 (Refresher into semiconductors and p-n junctions: Lecture3a.pdf Lecture3b.pdf

[3] Lecture 4 (Basic electro-magnetics relevant to optoelectronics): Lecture4.pdf

[4] Lecture 5 (Optical processes and band-to-band recombination): Lecture5.pdf

[5] Lecture 6 (More detailed look at emission & absorption processes): Lecture6.pdf

[6] Lecture 7 (Light emitting diodes - LEDs): Lecture7.pdf

[7] Lecture 9 (Basics of gain medium and SOA): Lecture9.pdf

[8] Lecture 10 (Semicoductor diode lasers): Lecture10.pdf

[9] Lecture 11 (Different types of semiconductor lasers): Lecture11.pdf

[10] Lecture 12 (Basics of light detection, photo-multiplier tubes and photoconductors): Lecture12.pdf

[11] Lecture 13 (Junction photodetections - PIN and APD): Lecture13.pdf

[12] Lecture 14 (Guided-wave photodetectors): Lecture14.pdf

[13] Lecture 15 (Noise processes in light detection): Lecture15.pdf

[14] Lecture 16 (Signal to noise ratio calculations): Lecture16.pdf

[15] Lecture 17 (Coherent detection and BER calculations): Lecture17.pdf