Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of
electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control
light, usually considered a sub-field of
photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radiation such as
gamma rays,
X-rays,
ultraviolet and
infrared, in addition to visible light. Optoelectronic devices are electrical-to-optical or optical-to-electrical
transducers, or instruments that use such devices in their operation.
''
Electro-optics'' is often erroneously used as a synonym, but is a wider branch of
physics that concerns all interactions between light and
electric field
An electric field (sometimes E-field) is the physical field that surrounds electrically charged particles and exerts force on all other charged particles in the field, either attracting or repelling them. It also refers to the physical field fo ...
s, whether or not they form part of an electronic device.
Optoelectronics is based on the
quantum mechanical effects of
light on electronic materials, especially
semiconductors
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical resistivity and conductivity, electrical conductivity value falling between that of a electrical conductor, conductor, such as copper, and an insulator (electricity), insulator, such as glas ...
, sometimes in the presence of
electric field
An electric field (sometimes E-field) is the physical field that surrounds electrically charged particles and exerts force on all other charged particles in the field, either attracting or repelling them. It also refers to the physical field fo ...
s.
*
Photoelectric or
photovoltaic
Photovoltaics (PV) is the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. The photovoltaic effect is commercially us ...
effect, used in:
**
photodiode
A photodiode is a light-sensitive semiconductor diode. It produces current when it absorbs photons.
The package of a photodiode allows light (or infrared or ultraviolet radiation, or X-rays) to reach the sensitive part of the device. The packag ...
s (including
solar cells)
**
phototransistors
**
photomultipliers
**
optoisolator
An opto-isolator (also called an optocoupler, photocoupler, or optical isolator) is an electronic component that transfers electrical signals between two isolated circuits by using light. Opto-isolators prevent high voltages from affecting the ...
s
**
integrated optical circuit
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) or integrated optical circuit is a microchip containing two or more photonic components which form a functioning circuit. This technology detects, generates, transports, and processes light. Photonic integrated c ...
(IOC) elements
*
Photoconductivity, used in:
**
photoresistors
**
photoconductive camera tubes
**
charge-coupled imaging devices
*
Stimulated emission
Stimulated emission is the process by which an incoming photon of a specific frequency can interact with an excited atomic electron (or other excited molecular state), causing it to drop to a lower energy level. The liberated energy transfers to th ...
, used in:
** injection
laser diodes
**
quantum cascade lasers
* Lossev effect, or
radiative recombination, used in:
**
light-emitting diodes or LED
**
OLEDs
*
Photoemissivity, used in
**
photoemissive camera tube
Important applications
of optoelectronics include:
*
Optocoupler
*
Optical fiber communications
See also
*
Interconnect bottleneck
*
Liquid-crystal display
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display
A flat-panel display (FPD) is an electronic display used to display visual content such as text or images. It is present in consumer, medical, transportation, and industrial equipmen ...
*
Non-radiative lifetime
In the solid-state physics of semiconductors, carrier generation and carrier recombination are processes by which mobile charge carriers (electrons and electron holes) are created and eliminated. Carrier generation and recombination processes are ...
*
OECC The OECC, established in 1996, is an annual conference which publishes proceedings and scientific research articles as a result of its conferences. ''OECC'' stands for the OptoElectronics and Communications Conference, which has conducted annual mee ...
(OptoElectronics and Communications Conference)
*
Optical amplifier
An optical amplifier is a device that amplifies an optical signal directly, without the need to first convert it to an electrical signal. An optical amplifier may be thought of as a laser without an optical cavity, or one in which feedback fr ...
*
Optical communication
Optical communication, also known as optical telecommunication, is communication at a distance using light to carry information. It can be performed visually or by using electronic devices. The earliest basic forms of optical communication date b ...
*
Optical fiber
*
Optical interconnect
*
Opto-electronic oscillator
*
Parallel optical interface A parallel optical interface is a form of fiber optic technology aimed primarily at communications and networking over relatively short distances (less than 300 meters), and at high bandwidths.
Parallel optic interfaces differ from traditional fi ...
*
Photoemission
The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons when electromagnetic radiation, such as light, hits a material. Electrons emitted in this manner are called photoelectrons. The phenomenon is studied in condensed matter physics, and solid sta ...
*
Photoemission spectroscopy
*
Photovoltaic effect
*
Stimulated emission
Stimulated emission is the process by which an incoming photon of a specific frequency can interact with an excited atomic electron (or other excited molecular state), causing it to drop to a lower energy level. The liberated energy transfers to th ...
*
Electronics
References
External links
*
OIDA (Optoelectronics Industry Development Association)
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