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LED Theory

The document explains the principles and mechanisms of light emitting diodes (LEDs), highlighting their electroluminescence and differences from incandescent bulbs. It discusses various types of LEDs, including GaP and GaAs1-xPx, their efficiencies, and applications in opto-isolators and infrared communication. Additionally, it outlines the advantages and disadvantages of infrared LEDs compared to other light sources.

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2 views

LED Theory

The document explains the principles and mechanisms of light emitting diodes (LEDs), highlighting their electroluminescence and differences from incandescent bulbs. It discusses various types of LEDs, including GaP and GaAs1-xPx, their efficiencies, and applications in opto-isolators and infrared communication. Additionally, it outlines the advantages and disadvantages of infrared LEDs compared to other light sources.

Uploaded by

স্বপ্নচারী জামান
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LED

By applying a current through a pn junction, photons can be


produced, giving rise to light emission. This mechanism is
called electroluminescence and the device is known as light
emitting diode (LED).
A light emitting diode is a solid state pn junction device that
emits light upon the application of forward biasing current.

It is different from incandescent light bulb, in which light is


generated by heating a filament to a very high temperature.
An LED is a cold lamp which converts electric energy
directly into optical energy without the intermediate step of
thermal conversion.
 Internal quantum efficiency
 External quantum efficiency
 Loss mechanisms
Internal quantum efficiency
GaP LED
GaP has energy gap around 2.26 eV. Depending on the
recombination mechanism GaP diodes emit Red or Green
light.

Red GaP LED


In an oxygen-doped GaP diode, an emission near 690 nm is
observed.
Oxygen as donor and zinc as acceptor is doped to form n and
p type material.
Green GaP LED
Green emission in GaP is achieved due to recombination of
Nitrogen atom with Phosphorous.
The green emission is nearly at the peak of the eye-
sensitivity curve so, the green GaP diode provides high
brightness.
GaAs1-xPx LED
 Semiconductor with particular desired energy-band gap
 GaAs ----- emission is not visible to human
 GaP -------- material difficult to handle

 When GaAs is mixed with GaP, a ternary alloy can be


formed having an energy band-gap between that of GaAs
(1.42 eV, ~870 nm) and GaP (2.26 eV).
 The mixed alloy is called GaAs1-xPx.
 Using x as a parameter, we can get material with different
band-gap.
AlxGaAs1-x LED
 Aluminium gallium arsenide, AlxGaAs1-x combination of
GaAs and AlAs (Eg = 2.16 eV).

 Bandgap energy is a function of Aluminium concentration.

 AlxGaAs1-x Diode has brightness 10 times than that of the


typical GaAs1-xPx LED.
LED as opto-isolator
 LEDs can be used in opto-isolators where an input signal
or control signal is de-coupled from output.
LED as opto-isolator
 An opto-isolator has an LED as light source and a
photodiode or photo transistor as detector.

 When an input electrical signal is applied to the LED, a


light is generated and subsequently detected by the
detector. The light is then converted back to an electrical
signal as a current that can flow through a load.
Infrared LED
 LEDs which can emit light in the infrared region i.e. wave
length of light is higher than 750 nm.
 GaAs infrared source at the present time has the highest
electroluminescent efficiency, mainly because GaAs has
the most advanced material technology.
 An important application of the GaAs infrared LED is to
use it as the source in an opto-isolator.
 Infrared LEDs are also potential source for optical-fiber
communication.
Infrared LED
 Advantages:
(a) higher temperature operation
(b) smaller temperature dependence
(c) simpler device construction
(d) simpler drive circuit

 Disadvantages:
(a) lower brightness
(b) lower modulation frequency
(c) wide spectral line width typically 100 to 500 Å
compared with laser which has 0.1 to 1 Å.
Photodetector
Photoconductor

Photodiode
PIN Photodiode

Phototransistor

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