Optoelectronics

Research Report

Name: Ahmed Wageeh Ammar

ID: 137626
Group: A-1

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Introduction

Purpose: This report is mainly about the Optoelectronics field with brief explanation
and applications.
Problem: Optoelectronics recently becoming an increasingly vital part of technology.
They are like the backbone of a vast number of products, like LEDs (Light Emitting
Diodes), photodetectors and fiber-optics technology that is used to deliver and transmit
data with high transmitting rate.
Scope: The research report is focused on the optoelectronics as a technology and how
it works, also explained applications will be discussed through the research.

Background

Theory: Optoelectronics field simply is a mixture between electronics and optics, it

studies the electronic devices with light being controlled or controlled by the light.
Optoelectronics also is a sub-field under the photonics. Optoelectronics is based on the
quantum mechanical effects of light on electronic materials. Optoelectronics have sever
applications like Photoelectric or photovoltaic effect which used in [1]:
1- Photodiodes which are semiconductor materials the converts the light into
current which are used to build the solar-cells or the PV solar systems [2].

Source 1: https://en.wikipedia.org
Figure 1: Photodiode

2- Phototransistors which are simply transistors working using the light, one
common type of these devices is photobipolar transistor.

Also the Lossev effect, or radiative recombination, used in:

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 1- LEDs, LEDs recently are common used devices, it is based on a P-N
junction connected together and when they are forward biased an emitting
light is appearing that's because the effect of electroluminescence [2]. The
semiconductor light-emitting diode is a key part of today's technology.
Modern households have numerous small glowing indicators — provided
by way of LEDs — so are used because of reading CD or DVD disks in
computer and games console drives, or because of transmitting signals to
electronic equipment from remote controls. Increasingly, autos are outfitted
with LED indicator and brake lights. Most critically, be that as it may, the
LED is an essential connection amongst hardware and photonics:
semiconductor lasers in light of LEDs send adjusted optical signs into
telecom strands, serving the always developing interest for broadband media
transmission and the Internet. Throughout the following decade, the
estimation of the prospering LED market is anticipated to surpass $15
billion every year [2].

Figure 2: LED (Light Emitting Diode)

Source 2: https://en.wikipedia.org

2- OLED, like the LEDs but the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of
organic compound that emits light in response to an electric current [3].

Figure 3: OLED
Source 3: https://en.wikipedia.org

Photoconductivity, used in:

1- Photoresistors, LDRs or (Light-Dependent Resistors), the main operation of
it is when the light is too low or (Dark) the LDR resistance becomes so high

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 as few Mega-ohms when the light increases on it the resistance of it becomes
about few hundreds of ohms [5].

Figure 4: LDR (Light-Dependant Resistor)

Source 4: https://en.wikipedia.org

History: Optoelectronics branch showed up after many researches about electronics and
optics, it showed up to mix or merge the two fields in one technology or science, the
used light includes Gamma rays, X-rays, ultra-violet, infra-red and the visible light.

Discussion

One of the most important applications of the study of optoelectronics is Solar Cells or
PV Cells (Photovoltaic). PV cells or solar cells as shown in the figure bellow is an
electrical device used to convert the light to electricity to be used in the off-grid regions
and it is listed one of the clean and renewable energy sources as it uses the sun light to
produce electricity.
The main three steps of operation of the Solar Cells are:
1- Absorbing the light, then generating electron-hole pairs.
2- Separating the charges of the carriers of opposite types.
3- Separating the extraction of those carriers to an external circuit.

Figure 5: PV Solar Cell

Source 5: http://www.lowgap.net/micropower

And Solar Cells are part from the PV solar system that is used in off-grid regions to
produce electrical energy. The PV system is consists of main five parts the
polycrystalline solar panels, inverters, charge controllers and the batteries.

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PV solar systems is a sample of friendly power sources to the environment that can
provide electric power from the radiation of the sun to run any electrical devices,
besides that PV systems have a large scale of batteries that supplies the houses through
the night and also the cloudy days.
After installing the PV systems to supply the electric power, the whole system can
provide electricity through the day and also at night.
"The most common PV technology uses solar cells made of semiconductor materials
doped with a small amounts of impurities it could be metals. In simple terms, when
sunlight strikes a cell, a certain portion of its energy is absorbed within the
semiconductor material. The absorbed energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to
flow freely under the influence of electric fields.
Solar cells have inbuilt electric fields that force the freed electrons to flow in a certain
direction. Metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell enable the cell to generate
a current in an external circuit. This current, together with the cell's voltage (which is a
result of its in-built electric fields), defines the power (or wattage) that a solar cell can
produce. This direct current can be used to recharge batteries and run direct current
devices, or can be converted via inverters into alternating current, the form of electricity
most commonly used in homes, offices and industry" [6].

Figure 6: PV Solar System.

Source 6: http://www.aladdinsolar.com

Conclusion

All in all optoelectronics in other definition are the science or the technology which
connects the electronics with the optics for various purposes, and the applications of
the optoelectronics in Photoelectric or photovoltaic effect are ( Photodiodes,
Phototransistors, Photomultipliers and optoisolators which are used in Camera), in
Photoconductivity like (Photoresistors and photoconductive camera tubes) and in
radiative recombination like (LEDs and OLEDs), Moreover the most important

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application the PV solar cells which are used in PV solar systems to generate electricity
to the off-grid areas.
Optoelectronics are updating every day and it's an interesting field of research and
study.

References

[1] Vishay, "Physics and Technology," Vishay, 2008.

[2] J. F. Cox, Fundamentals of linear electronics: integrated and discrete, Cengage

Learning, 2001.

[3] N. Zheludev, "The life and times of the LED — a 100-year history," The
Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, 2007.

[4] K. T. Kamtekar, A. P. Monkman and M. R. Bryce, "Recent Advances in White

Organic Light-Emitting Materials and Devices (WOLEDs)," Advanced Materials,
2010.

[5] Robert, Electronic Devices: System and Applications, New Delhi: Delimar, 2005.

[6] U. o. Queensland, "Photovoltaic Features," [Online]. Available:

https://www.uq.edu.au/solarenergy/pv-array/photovoltaic-features.

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