Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Optical Properties
ISSUES TO ADDRESS...
What happens when light shines on a material? Why do materials have characteristic colors? Why are some materials transparent and other not? Optical applications:
--luminescence --photoconductivity --solar cell --optical communications fibers

Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen

Department of Materials Engineering

200

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Light Interaction With Solids

Incident light is either reflected, absorbed, or transmitted: Io = IT + IA + IR
Reflected: IR Absorbed: IA Transmitted: IT Incident: Io

Optical classification of materials:

Transparent Transluscent Opaque

Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen

Department of Materials Engineering

201

Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Optical Properties Of Metals: Absorption

Absorption of photons by electron transition:
Energy of electron
unfilled states

Io

Plancks constant (6.63 x 10-34 J/s)

h tp en id yh Inc erg en of

n oto

E = h required!
filled states

freq. of incident light

Metals have a fine succession of energy states. Near-surface electrons absorb visible light.
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 202

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Optical Properties Of Metals: Reflection

Electron transition emits a photon.
Energy of electron
unfilled states conducting electron

IR
re-emitted photon from material surface

E
filled states

Reflectivity = IR/Io is between 0.90 and 0.95. Reflected light is same frequency as incident. Metals appear reflective (shiny)!
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 203

Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Selected Absorption: Nonmetals

Absorption by electron transition occurs if h > Egap
Energy of electron
blue light: h= 3.1eV red light: h= 1.7eV unfilled states

incident photon energy hn

Egap

Io

filled states

If Egap < 1.8eV, full absorption; color is black (Si, GaAs) If Egap > 3.1eV, no absorption; colorless (diamond) If Egap in between, partial absorption; material has a color.
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 204

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Color Of Nonmetals
Color determined by sum of frequencies of
--transmitted light, --re-emitted light from electron transitions.

Ex: Cadmium Sulfide (CdS)

-- Egap = 2.4eV, -- absorbs higher energy visible light (blue, violet), -- Red/yellow/orange is transmitted and gives it color.

Ex: Ruby = Sapphire (Al2O3) + (0.5 to 2) at% Cr2O3

Transmittance (%)

-- Sapphire is colorless (i.e., Egap > 3.1eV) -- adding Cr2O3 :

alters the band gap blue light is absorbed yellow/green is absorbed red is transmitted Result: Ruby is deep red in color.

80 70 60 50 40 0.3

sapphire Ruby wavelength, (= c/)(m)

0.5 0.7 0.9

Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen

Department of Materials Engineering

205

Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Transmitted Light: Refraction

Transmitted light distorts electron clouds.
no transmitted light

transmitted light

electron cloud distorts

Result 1: Light is slower in a material vs vacuum.

Index of refraction (n) = speed of light in a vacuum speed of light in a material Material Lead glass Silica glass Soda-lime glass Quartz Plexiglas Polypropylene n 2.1 1.46 1.51 1.55 1.49 1.49

--Adding large, heavy ions (e.g., lead can decrease the speed of light. --Light can be "bent"

Result 2: Intensity of transmitted light decreases

with distance traveled (thick pieces less transparent!)
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 206

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Application: Luminescence
Process:
incident radiation
Energy of electron
Energy of electron

unfilled states

E gap filled states

emitted light

unfilled states

E gap filled states

electron transition occurs

re-emission occurs
white light

Ex: fluorescent lamps

glass coating UV e.g., -alumina radiation doped w/Europium
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 207

Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Application: Photoconductivity
Description:

+
Energy of electron

+
Energy of electron

semi conductor:

unfilled states

unfilled states

Egap filled states

Incident radiation

Egap

conducting electron

filled states

A. No incident radiation: little current flow

B. Incident radiation: increased current flow

Ex: Photodetector (Cadmium sulfide)

Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 208

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Application: Solar Cell

p-n junction:
P-doped Si conductance Si electron Si P Si Si n-type Si p-n junction p-type Si hole Si Si B Si
polycrystalline Si

Operation:
--incident photon produces hole-elec. pair. --typically 0.5V potential. --current increases w/light intensity.
light n-type Si p-n junction p-type Si creation of hole-electron pair

- + + + +

Solar powered weather station:

Si B-doped Si
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen

Department of Materials Engineering

209

Spring 2004

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

Application: Fiber Optics

Design with stepped index of refraction (n):
core: silica glass w/higher n cladding: glass w/lower n n enhances internal reflection

input pulse total internal reflection output pulse

intensity intensity

time

shorter path longer paths

broadened!

time

Design with parabolic index of refraction

intensity intensity core: Add graded input pulse total internal reflection output pulse impurity distrib. to make n higher in core center cladding: (as before) time

shorter, but slower paths longer, but faster paths

Parabolic = less broadening = improvement!

Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering

less broadening!
210

time

Kasetsart University

213211: Optical Properties

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.
Dr.Peerapong Triyacharoen Department of Materials Engineering 211