NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

Optical Sources : LED, Efficiency, Modulation bandwidth,

Emission Pattern

1. We do not typically use silicon as a light emitting source because,

(a) the band gap of silicon does not correspond to visible light
(b) silicon is a direct band gap material
(c) silicon is an indirect band gap material
(d) external quantum efficiency of silicon is too low to get any useful light out of the material.

Solution:
[Ans: c]

2. The radiative and non-radiative recombination lifetimes of the minority carriers in the active
region of a double hetrojunction LED are 70 ns and 90 ns respectively. The total carrier
recombination lifetime is ns.

Solution:
[Ans: 39.375 ns ; Answer range: 38 to 40]
The total carrier recombination lifetime is
τr τnr
τ=
τr + τnr
70 × 90
= ns
70 + 90
= 39.375 ns

3. For the above question (2), consider the peak emission wavelength is 980 nm at a drive current
of 100 mA. The refractive index of the material as 3.5. Then the power internally generated
within the device is
(a) 35.6 mW
(b) 71.3 mW
(c) 17.8 mW
(d) 53.4 mW

Solution:
[Ans: b]
Power internally generated,
hc
Pint = ηint I
eλ
NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

τ 39.375
ηint = = = 0.5625
τr 70
6.626 × 10−34 × 3 × 108
∴ Pint = 0.5625 × × 100 × 10−3
1.6 × 10−19 × 980 × 10−9
= 71.3 mW

√
4. The modulation bandwidth of the LED is 3/(2πτc ), where τc the carrier lifetime. Then the
electrical bandwidth of the LED is given by,
(a) 3/(2πτc )
(b) 2/(2πτc )
(c) 1/(2πτc )
√
(d) 2/(2πτc )

Solution:
[Ans: c]

5. The 3 dB electrical bandwidth B of an LED is 25 MHz. Determine the 3 dB optical bandwidth

Bopt
(a) 43.30 MHz
(b) 17.6 MHz
(c) 35.35 MHz
(d) 14.43 MHz

Solution:
[Ans: a]

√
Bopt = f3dB (opt) = 3f3dB (elec)
√
= 3 × 25 = 43.30 M Hz

6. In a double hetero-structure design with the composition of the quaternary alloy In1−x Gax Asy P1−y
is such that x =0.2. Find the operating wavelength of the semiconductor device in µm?

Solution:
[Ans: 1.17 µm ; Answer range: 1.16 to 1.18 µm ]
To ensure the matching of lattice constant, x/y = 0.45, thus for x=0.2, y=0.44,

Eg (y) = 1.35 − 0.72y + 0.12y 2

= 1.06 eV

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NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

The corresponding operating wavelength is,

1.24
λ= µm
Eg
= 1.174 µm

7. The effective carrier life time of an LED is known to be 20 ns. In order to fully support an
LED with its best possible bandwidth, the electrical bandwidth of the driver circuit should
be at least
(a) 50 MHz
(b) 7.96 Mhz
(c) 13.78 MHz
(d) 23.87 MHz

Solution:
[Ans: b]

1
BWelec = (1)
2πτc
= 7.96 MHz (2)

8. Find the approximate FWHM width of the LED spectrum which operates at temperature of
30o C

Solution:
[Ans: 11.37 THz; Answer range: 11.35 to 11.40 THz]

Use the following data for Question 9 to 14.

The forward current through a GaAsP (refractive index = 3.5) red LED (850 nm) with a
spectral width of 25 nm is 35 mA at 3 V, operates at room temperature. The internal
quantum efficiency is 0.55 and with a carrier lifetime of 1.25 ns,

9. The carrier injection rate is ×1017 s−1 .

(a) 4.32
(b) 2.18
(c) 2.56
(d) 1.57

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NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

Solution: (b)

I
Rinj =
e
35mA
=
1.60 × 10−19 C
= 2.187 × 1017 s−1

10. At this rate (from question above) the optical power generated by the LED would be
mW

Solution:
[Ans: 28.08; Numerical answer range: 27.5 to 28.5]

I
Pint = ηint hν
e
c I
= ηint × h × ×
λ e
= 28.08 mW

11. Of the optical power generated internally, µW will be available at the output?

Solution:
[Ans: 396.19 ; Numerical answer range: 390 to 400]

Pout = ηext × Pint

1
= × Pint
n(n + 1)2
1
= × 28.14 × 10−3 = 396.19 µW
3.5(3.5 + 1)2

12. From the above data the slope efficiency of the LED emission is mW/A
(a) 22.68
(b) 11.32
(c) 33.68
(d) 67.36

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NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

Solution:
[Ans: b]

Pout
slope efficiency = = 11.32 mW/A
I

13. The Wall-plug efficiency of this LED is

(a) 1.5%
(b) 0.75%
(c) 0.37%
(d) 0.18%

Solution:
[Ans: c]

Pout−opt
ηwall−plug =
VI
396.19 × 10−6
= = 0.37%
3 × 35 × 10−3

14. The spectral width emitted by the LED in units of THz is

(a) 22.5
(b) 11.25
(c) 67.5
(d) 8.4

Solution:
[Ans: b]

1.8kT
FWHM = = 11.25 T Hz
h

15. The emission pattern of an LED is assumed to be Lambertian where the emitted intensity at
an angle θ measured with respect to the normal that is perpendicular to the surface of the
source is represented as I = I0 cos(θ). If light from this LED is allowed to fall on a wall at a
distance 1 m, (with emitting surface of LED kept facing the wall), the area in m2 of the wall
where the intensity is at least half of the peak intensity is.....

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NPTEL- Fiber Optic Communication Technology Assignment-2

Solution:
[Ans: 9.42]

Answer Range : 9.35 to 9.45

For θ = 60o , the intensity drops to zero;
Area illuminated = πr2 = π × (1m × tan(60))2 = 9.42m2

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