Energy-Bands

In a pure Gp. IV material, equal number of holes and electrons

exist at different energy levels.
n-type material
Adding group V impurity will create an n- type material
p-type material
Adding group III impurity will create a p-type material
The Light Emitting Diode (LED)

or fiber-optics, the !"# should have a

high radiance $light intensity%, fast response
time and a high quantum efficiency

#ouble or single hetero-structure devices

"mitted wavelength depends on bandgap

energy
& hc h E
g
= =
'etero(unction

'etero(unction is the advanced (unction

design to reduce diffraction loss in the
optical cavity.

)his is accomplished by modification of the

laser material to control the index of
refraction of the cavity and the width of the
(unction.
Homojunction

The p-n junction of the basic GaAs LED/laser

described before is called a homojunction
because only one type of semiconductor
material is used in the junction with different
dopants to produce the junction itself.

The index of refraction of the material

depends upon the impurity used and the
dopin le!el.

The "eterojunction region is actually lightly

doped with p-type material and has the highest
index of refraction.

)he n-type material and the more heavily doped p-

type material both have lower indices of refraction.

In the homo(unction, however, this index difference

is low and much light is lost.
Gallium Arsenide-Aluminum Gallium
Arsenide Heterojunction

Structure and index of refraction n for various types of junctions in

gallium arsenide with a junction width d.

(a) is for a homojunction.

(b) is for a gallium arsenide-aluminum gallium arsenide single

heterojunction.

(c) is for a gallium arsenide-aluminum gallium arsenide double

heterojunction with improved optical confinement.

(d) is for a double heterojunction with a large optical cavity of width w.

!"# *avelength
$eV%
+,-- . .
m% $
E
=
/ hc&"$eV%
/ wavelength in microns
' / 0lan1s constant
2 / speed of light
" / 0hoton energy in eV
3andgap "nergy and 0ossible *avelength
4anges in Various 5aterials
6"5I278#92)74 !IG')-
"5I))I8G #I7#"6

Semiconductor L!s emit incoherent

light.

Spontaneous emission of light in

semiconductor L!s produces light
waves that lac" a fixed-phase relationship.
Light waves that lac" a fixed-phase
relationship are referred to as incoherent
light
6"5I278#92)74 !IG')-"5I))I8G #I7#"6
2ont:

#he use of L!s in single mode systems is

severely limited because they emit unfocused
incoherent light.

ven L!s developed for single mode systems

are unable to launch sufficient optical power
into single mode fibers for many applications.

L!s are the preferred optical source for

multimode systems because they can launch
sufficient power at a lower cost than
semiconductor Laser !iodes.
6emiconductor !#s

Semiconductor L!s emit coherent

light.

L!s produce light waves with a fixed-

phase relationship between points on
the electromagnetic wave.

Light waves having a fixed-phase

relationship are referred to as
coherent light.
6emiconductor !#s 2ont..

Semiconductor L!s emit more focused

light than L!s$ they are able to launch
optical power into both single mode
and multimode optical fibers.

L!s are usually used only in single

mode fiber systems because they
re%uire more complex driver circuitry
and cost more than L!s.
6pontaneous "mission

Spontaneous emission is the random

generation of photons within the a layer of
the L!. #he emitted photons move in
random directions. &nly a certain
percentage of the photons exit the
semiconductor and are coupled into the
fiber. 'any of the photons are absorbed by
the L! materials and the energy dissipated
as heat.
!IG')-"5I))I8G #I7#"6

( light-emitting diode (L!) is a

semiconductor device that emits
incoherent light$ through spontaneous
emission$ when a current is passed
through it. #ypically L!s for the )*+-nm
region are fabricated using ,a(s and
(l,a(s. L!s for the -.++-nm and -**+-
nm regions are fabricated using /n,a(s0
and /n0.
)ypes of !"#
#he basic L! types used for
fiber optic communication
systems are

Surface-emitting L! (SL!)$

dge-emitting L! (L!)$ and

!"# performance differences $.%

LED performance differences help link designers

decide which device is appropriate for the intended
application.

For short-distance (0 to 3 km), low-data-rate fier

optic s!stems, "LEDs and ELEDs are the preferred
optical so#rce.

$!picall!, "LEDs operate efficientl! for it rates #p to

%&0 megaits per second ('(s). )eca#se "LEDs
emit light over a wide area (wide far-field angle), the!
are almost e*cl#sivel! #sed in m#ltimode s!stems.
!"# performance differences $+%

1or medium-distance$ medium-data-rate systems$

L!s are preferred.

L!s may be modulated at rates up to 2++ 'b3s.

L!s may be used for both single mode and
multimode fiber systems.

4oth SL!s and L!s are used in long-distance$

high-data-rate systems. SL!s are L!-based
diodes designed to operate in the
superluminescence mode.

SL!s may be modulated at bit rates of over 2++

'b3s.
6urface-"mitting !"#s

#he surface-emitting L! is also "nown as the 4urrus

L! in honor of 5. (. 4urrus$ its developer.

/n SL!s$ the si6e of the primary active region is limited

to a small circular area of 7+ m to *+ m in diameter.

#he active region is the portion of the L! where photons

are emitted. #he primary active region is below the
surface of the semiconductor substrate perpendicular to
the axis of the fiber.

Surface-emitting LED
Edge-emitting LED
LED Spectral Width
"dge emitting !"#;s have slightly narrow line width

)he internal <uantum efficiency of !"#s

decrease exponentially with increasing
temperature.

Internal quantum efficiency is the ratio

between the radiative recombination rate and
the sum of radiative and nonradiative
recombination rates

)he light emitted from these devices decreases

as the p-n (unction temperature increases.

)he internal <uantum efficiency of !"#s

decrease exponentially with increasing
temperature.

Internal quantum efficiency is the ratio

between the radiative recombination rate and
the sum of radiative and nonradiative
recombination rates

)he light emitted from these devices

decreases as the p-n (unction temperature
increases.

% &$
int nr r r
R R R + =

It can be observed from the above figure that

the edge-emitting device exhibits a greater
temperature dependence than the surface
emitter.

And the output of 6!# is strongly dependent

on the temperature.

)he line width increase due to increased

doping levels.

)he 6pectra of "!"# is narrow than that of

6!"#.

)he output spectra also broaden at a rate of =..

and =., nm & with the increase in C
C
temperature due to greater energy spread in
carrier distributions at higher temperatures.
3-dB bandidths
7ptical 0ower I$f%> "lectrical 0ower I
+
$f%
+
% + $ . & % $ f P f P
o
+ =
Electrical Loss ! " # $ptical Loss
LED Spectral Width
"dge emitting !"#;s have slightly narrow line width