Course Code: MSE 255

Lecture Five

Principle of Materials Science II

Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Arthur

Department of Materials Engineering,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,
Kumasi, Ghana

Email: ekarthur2005@yahoo.com
Phone #: +233541710532
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©2017
 Part Two

Optical Properties of Materials

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 Issues To Address...
 Basic principles and concepts
 Optical behaviour of materials
 Optical properties of metals and semi-conductors
 Optical properties of non-metals
 phenomenon to be considered: luminescence and
fluorescence

 Optical applications

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 Optical Properties
 Engineering materials play an important role because of
their physical properties.
 Prime physical properties of materials include:
electrical properties; thermal properties; magnetic
properties; and optical properties.
 The optical properties of engineering materials are
useful in different applications.
 Ex.: domestic, medicine, astronomy, manufacturing.

 Optical property of a material is defined as its

interaction with electro-magnetic radiation in the
visible.

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 Optical Properties
 Electro-magnetic spectrum of radiation spans the wide range from
γ-rays with wavelength as 10-12 m, through x-rays, ultraviolet,
visible, infrared, and finally radio waves with wavelengths as long as
105m.
 Visible light is one form of electromagnetic radiation with
wavelengths ranging from 0.39 to 0.77μm.

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 Visible Light
 Light that can be detected by the human eye has
wavelengths in the range λ ~ 450nm to 650nm & is
called visible light:

3.1eV 1.8eV
 The human eye can detect light of many different colors.
 Each color is detected with different efficiency.

Spectral Response of Human Eyes

Efficiency, 100%

400nm 500nm 600nm 700nm

 Optical Properties
Light has both particulate and wavelike properties
– Photons - with mass

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 Material –Light interaction
 Interaction of photons with the electronic or crystal
structure of a material leads to a number of phenomena.

 The photons may give their energy to the material

(absorption); photons give their energy, but photons of
identical energy are immediately emitted by the material
(reflection); photons may not interact with the material
structure (transmission); or during transmission photons
are changes in velocity (refraction).

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 Light Interaction with Solids
At any instance of light interaction with a material, the
total intensity of the incident light striking a surface is
equal to sum of the absorbed, reflected, and transmitted
intensities i.e.

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 Optical materials: Materials classification
 Materials are classified on the basis of their interaction with visible
light into three categories.
 Materials that are capable of transmitting light with relatively little
absorption and reflection are called transparent materials i.e. we can
see through them.
 Translucent materials are those through which light is transmitted
diffusely i.e. objects are not clearly distinguishable when viewed
through.
 Those materials that are impervious to the transmission of visible
light are termed as opaque materials. These materials absorb all the
energy from the light photons.

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 Optical properties -Metals
 Metals consist partially filled high-energy conduction
bands.
 When photons are directed at metals, their energy is used
to excite electrons into unoccupied states. Thus metals are
opaque to the visible light.
 Metals are, however, transparent to high end frequencies
i.e. x-rays and γ-rays.
 Absorption takes place in very thin outer layer. Thus,
metallic films thinner than 0.1 μm can transmit the light.
 The absorbed radiation is emitted from the metallic
surface in the form of visible light of the same wavelength
as reflected light. The reflectivity of metals is about 0.95.

Reflectivity = IR/Io
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 Optical Properties of Metals:
Absorption
 Absorption of photons by electron transition:

 Metals have a fine succession of energy states.

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 Near-surface electrons absorb visible light.
 Optical Properties of Metals:
Reflection
 Electron transition emits a photon.

 Reflectivity = IR/Io is between 0.90 and 0.95.

 Reflected light is same frequency as incident.
13  Metals appear reflective (shiny)!
 Optical properties – Non-metals
 Non-metallic materials consist of various energy band structures.
Thus, all four optical phenomena are important.
 Refraction: when light photons are transmitted through a material,
they causes polarization of the electrons and in-turn the speed of
light is reduced and the beam of light changes direction.

 Transmitted light distorts electron clouds causing reduction in the speed

of the photons.

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 Refractive Index, n
 Light is slower in a material vs vacuum.

Snell’s law of light refraction:

--Adding large, heavy ions (e.g.,

lead can decrease the speed of
light.
--Light can be "bent"
Selected values from Table 21.1,
Callister 7e.
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 Reflectivity, R
Reflection
– Metals reflect almost all light
– Copper & gold absorb in blue & green => gold color

 Example: Diamond

16 ∴ 17% of light is reflected

 Refractive index

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  Recall: Semiconductor Bandgaps Eg are usually in the
range: 0 < Eg < 3 eV
 (up to 6 eV if diamond is included)
 Also, at equilibrium, at temperature T = 0,
 the valence band is full & the
 conduction band is empty.
 Now, consider what happens if electromagnetic
radiation (“light”) is shined on the material.
 In the photon representation of this radiation
 If hν  Eg, some electrons can be promoted to
the conduction band leaving some holes in the valence
band.

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 Selected Absorption: Semiconductors
 Absorption by electron transition occurs if hν > Egap

Color & Energy

Violet ~ 3.17eV
Blue ~ 3.1eV
Green ~ 2.52eV
Yellow ~ 2.15eV
Orange ~ 2.08eV
Red ~ 1.7eV

 If Egap < 1.8 eV, full absorption; color is “black” (Si, GaAs)
 If Egap > 3.1 eV, no absorption; colorless (diamond)
 If Egap in between, partial absorption; material has a color.
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 The energy range for visible light is from 1.8 to 3.1 eV.
Materials with band gap energies (Eg) in this range will absorb
those corresponding colors (energies) and transmit the
others. They will appear transparent and colored. Materials
with band gap energies less than 1.8 eV will be opaque because
all visible light will be absorbed by electron
 Light that is emitted from electron transitions in solids is
called luminescence. If it occurs for a short time it is
fluorescence, and if it lasts for a longer time it is
phosphorescence.
 Conversions between light and electricity are the basis for
the use of semiconducting materials such as gallium arsenide
in lasers and the widespread use of LED's (light-emitting
diodes) in electronic devices. Fluorescent and phosphorescent
20 ceramics are used in electric lamps and television screens.
 Wavelength vs. Band Gap
 Example: What is the minimum wavelength absorbed by
Ge?
 Eg = 0.67 eV

note : for Si Eg = 1.1eV λc ≤ 1.13 μm

 If donor (or acceptor) states also available this provides other

absorption frequencies

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 Visual Appearance of
Insulators, Metals, & Semiconductors
 A material’s appearance & color depend on the interaction between
light with the electron configuration of the material.
 Normally

High resistivity materials (Insulators) are Transparent

High conductivity materials (Metals) have a “Metallic
Luster” & are Opaque
Semiconductors can be opaque or transparent
This & their color depend on the material band gap

 For semiconductors the energy band diagram can explain

the appearance of the material in terms of both luster &
color.
 Colors of Semiconductors
Evis= 1.8eV
3.1eV
I B G Y O R

If the Photon Energy is Evis > Egap 

Photons will be absorbed
If the Photon Energy is Evis < Egap 
Photons will transmitted
If the Photon Energy is in the range of Egap
those with higher energy than Egap will be absorbed.
We see the color of the light being transmitted.
If all colors are transmitted the light is White
 Question
Why is Silicon Black & Shiny?

 the energy gap of Si is: Egap = 1.2eV

 for visible light, the photon energy is in the range: Evis ~

1.8 – 3.1eV
 To Answer This:
• We need to know that the energy gap of Si is:
Egap = 1.2eV
• We also need to know that, for visible light, the photon
energy is in the range:
Evis ~ 1.8 – 3.1eV
So, for Silicon, Evis is larger than Egap
• So, all visible light will be absorbed & Silicon appears
black
So, why is Si shiny?
• The answer is somewhat subtle: Significant photon
absorption occurs in silicon, because there are a
significant number of electrons in the conduction band.
These electrons are delocalized. They scatter photons.
 Why is GaP Yellow?
To Answer This:
 We need to know that the energy gap of GaP is:
Egap = 2.26 eV
This is equivalent to a
Photon of Wavelength  = 549 nm.
 So photons with E = h > 2.26 eV (i.e. green, blue,
violet) are absorbed.
 Also photons with E = h < 2.26eV (i.e. yellow, orange,
red) are transmitted.
 Also, the sensitivity of the human eye is greater for
yellow than for red, so
 GaP Appears Yellow/Orange.
 Why is Glass Transparent?
• Glass is an insulator (with a huge band gap). Its is
difficult for electrons to jump across a big energy gap:
Egap >> 5eV
Egap >> E(visible light) ~ 2.7- 1.6eV
• All colored photons are transmitted, with no absorption,
hence the light is transmitted & the material is
transparent.
• Define transmission & absorption by
Lambert’s Law: I = Ioexp(-x)

Io = incident beam intensity, I = transmitted beam intensity

x = distance of light penetration into material from a surface
  total linear absorption coefficient (m-1)
 takes into account the loss of intensity from
scattering centers & absorption centers.  approaches
zero for a pure insulator.
 SUMMARY
• When light (radiation) shines on a material, it may be:
--reflected, absorbed and/or transmitted.
• Optical classification:
--transparent, translucent, opaque
• Metals:
--fine succession of energy states causes absorption
and reflection.
• Non-Metals:
--may have full (Egap < 1.8eV) , no (Egap > 3.1eV), or
partial absorption (1.8eV < Egap = 3.1eV).
--color is determined by light wavelengths that are
transmitted or re-emitted from electron transitions.
--color may be changed by adding impurities which
change the band gap magnitude (e.g., Ruby)
• Refraction:
--speed of transmitted light varies among materials.

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