Course syllabus

Course-PM

MCC055 Optoelectronics LP1 HT22 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience

Contact details

Examiner: 

Professor Anders Larsson, anders.larsson@chalmers.se, 0703-088626, room B436 at MC2

Lecturers:

Professor Anders Larsson, anders.larsson@chalmers.se, 0703-088626, room B436 at MC2

Professor Shumin Wang, shumin@chalmers.se, room C434 at MC2

Home assignments:

Bilal Aziz, bilalaz@chalmers.se, room B435 at MC2

Tutorial exercises:

Hans Kaimre, kaimre@chalmers.se, room B435 at MC2

Bilal Aziz, bilalaz@chalmers.se, room: B435 at MC2

Laboratory exercises:

Israel Salgado, israels@chalmers.se, room B413 at MC2

Krishna Twayana, twayana@chalmers.se, room B413 at MC2

Course purpose

The course aims at providing:

• Good understanding of semiconductor materials used in optoelectronics with a special emphasis on optical properties and processes.
• Basic knowledge of the most important optoelectronic components for generation, modulation and detection of light in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

1. Choose the most appropriate semiconductor material and semiconductor structure for an optoelectronic device with a certain performance
2. Describe the optical absorption and emission characteristics of a given semiconductor material under certain excitation conditions
3. Predict the most fundamental performance characteristics of a given optoelectronic device design from first-order calculations
4. Choose the most appropriate optoelectronic device for a specific application and understand possibilities and limitations offered by that particular device
5. Perform measurements to investigate the basic properties of light emitting and detecting devices

Course design

The course contains the following elements:

• Lectures (optional, but strongly recommended)
• Tutorial exercises (optional, but strongly recommended)
• Home assignments (optional, but strongly recommended)
• Laboratory exercises (compulsory)
• Project (compulsory)
• Examination (compulsory)

Schedule

Lectures are held according to the following schedule. Relevant chapters in the book are indicated. Lecture notes are posted on the course homepage before each lecture. All lectures are held in room A810 (Luftbryggan) at MC2.

Date             Time                         Topic                                                                 Lecturer         Chapters

Aug. 29        13:15 – 15:00          Introduction                                                   AL                     1 – 2

Sept. 1         08:00 – 09:45          Bonding and band structure                         SW                   3

Sept. 5         13:15 – 15:00          Electronic properties                                     SW                   4

Sept. 8         08:00 – 09:45          Optical properties I                                       SW                   5.1 – 5.5

Sept. 12       13:15 – 15:00          Optical properties II                                     SW                   5.6 – 5.8

Sept. 15       08:00 – 09:45          Junctions and heterostructures                  SW                   6

Sept. 19       13:15 – 15:00          Optical waveguides and reflectors             AL                    7

Sept. 22       08:00 – 09:45          Light emitting diodes                                   AL                    8

Sept. 26       13:15 – 15:00          Semiconductor lasers I                                AL                    9.1 – 9.6

Sept. 29       08:00 – 09:45          Semiconductor lasers II                               AL                    9.7 – 9.13

Oct. 3           13:15 – 15:00          Semiconductor optical amplifiers              AL                    10

Oct. 6           08:00 – 09:45          Photodetectors I                                        SW                   11.1 – 11.4

Oct. 10        13:15 – 15:00          Photodetectors II and solar cells               SW                   11.5 – 11.6

Oct. 13        08:00 – 09:45          Optical modulators                                     AL                    12

Tutorial exercises are offered where theories and techniques learned during lectures are applied to physics and device oriented problems. Tutorial exercises are held according to the following schedule. All tutorial exercises are held in room A810 (Luftbryggan) at MC2.

Date                       Time                     Teacher       Topic

September 1       10:00 – 11:45       HK               Bonding and band structure in semiconductors

September 5       15:15 – 17:00       HK               Electronic properties

September 8       10:00 – 11:45       HK               Optical properties

September 12     15:15 – 17:00       HK               Optical properties

September 15     10:00 – 11:45       HK               Junctions and heterostructures

September 19     15:15 – 17:00       BA               Optical waveguides and reflectors

September 22     10:00 – 11:45       BA                Light emitting diodes

September 26     15:15 – 17:00       BA                Semiconductor lasers

October 3             15:15 – 17:00       BA               Semiconductor lasers

October 6             10:00 – 11:45       BA               Optical amplifiers and photodetectors

October 10          15:15 – 17:00       BA                Photodetectors

October 13          10:00 – 11:45       HK                Optical modulators

A total of 5 home assignments are handed out. Home assignments are optional, but students are strongly encouraged to work them through and hand them in for corrections and comments. They provide a valuable learning tool. Each passed home assignment (20 out of 30 points) generates a bonus point at the exam. Home assignments are posted on the course homepage and due according to the following schedule.

Home assignment no.	Due date
1	September 12
2	September 22
3	September 29
4	October 10
5	October 24

There are 2 compulsory laboratory exercises to provide students with hands-on experience from measurements on optoelectronic devices:

• Laboratory exercise 1:   Light emitters (October 3-6)
• Laboratory exercise 2:   Photodetectors (October 10-13)

Each laboratory exercise is 4 hours. You can sign up for the laboratory exercises on the course homepage from September 7. It is recommended that there are 2 students per group.

Each student, or pair of students, has to carry out a compulsory project where an optoelectronic material or device technology is reviewed through a literature search. A short report is written and a short oral presentation is given to the other students. More information, including detailed instructions and suggested topics, will be available on the course homepage. Presentations will be on September 29 (10:00-11:45) in room A810 (Luftbryggan) at MC2.

Course literature

Course book:

Anders Larsson, Semiconductor Optoelectronics – Device Physics and Technologies

The book is available at STORE at a price of 500 kr.

The following can be downloaded from the course homepage:

• Course information
• Lecture notes
• Home assignments
• Manuals for laboratory exercises
• Instructions for projects
• Tutorial exercises
• Sample examinations

Examination form

The learning outcomes are assessed through a written examination, and the grade is based upon the result of this exam. The exam consists of 6 problems, worth a total of 60 points. Limits for the grades 3, 4 and 5 are at 40%, 60% and 80% respectively. The passing grade is thereby at 24 points. Passed home assignments can give up to 5 extra points on the exam. To pass the course the student has to pass the exam as well as the two laboratory exercises and the project work.

The written examination is held on October 27 (afternoon) and is 4 hours in duration. Sign up latest on October 9. A second examination is scheduled on January 4 (afternoon), 2023.

The following material is allowed: course book, mathematical handbook and calculator approved by Chalmers.