Spring 2014

EE 529 Homework #1, due on 4/22/2014

1. (20%) An n-type sample of GaAs has 1014 cm-3 electrons in the conduction band in
equilibrium. Photo-excitation is used to create 1020 cm-3s-1 electron-hole pairs in the sample
at room temperature. The coefficient for band-to-band recombination is 10-5 cm3s-1.
Determine the electron and hole concentration, and the recombination lifetime. Find the
energy position of the hole and electron quasi-Fermi levels in the energy bandgap under
photo-excitation conditions. Draw these in the energy bandgap diagram.
(Note: Please use Table 2.3 in the textbook for the parameters of GaAs that you need, and
use Table 1.5 to determine the bandgap energy of GaAs at 300K.)
2. (15%) In the class, we calculated the absorption coefficient of GaAs for allowed transitions
at a photon energy 1.52 eV at 0K. Assume the GaAs is n-type, the same as the one in
Problem 1, and the effective masses of electrons and holes remain constant with temperature.
Please calculate the absorption coefficient for band-to-band transition for the same photon
energy at 300K.
3. (20%) From the data of Fig. 3.11 in the textbook or use the result for absorption coefficient,
calculate and plot the band edge emission spectrum for GaAs at 300K. At which wavelength
is the absorption coefficient of GaAs maximum?
4. (20%) Calculate the tunneling probability of an electron in GaAs under an applied field of
2 105 V/cm when a photon of 1.3 eV is absorbed at room temperature. Compare this with
the band-to-band tunneling probability of an electron in the valence band without photon
absorption with the same applied field.
5. (25%) (a) Use what we learned about the Franz-Keldysh effect in class, plot a figure for
absorption coefficient of GaAs under various electric fields like the one shown in Slide 17 of
the supplementary slides. You will notice that if you use the result shown in the textbook,
you will get infinite or imaginary values for photon energy greater than the bandgap energy.
Therefore, start your plot at Eg 0.001 eV . You will also notice that your results will
look somewhat different from the figure in Slide 19, which is obtained using a different
equation. (b) We want to make an optical modulator utilizing the Franz-Keldysh effect in
GaAs. Assume the applied electric field is 2 105 V/cm , and we want to achieve 90%
modulation depth, i.e., changing the output light intensity from full value to 10% of its full
value. Calculate the required device length versus wavelength between 0.88 and 1 m and
plot your result in a figure.