Optical Properties of Materials

LIGHT
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE

A transverse wave of mutually perpendicular, time-

varying electric and magnetic fields that propagate at
constant speed, c, in vacuum
electromagnetic radiation can have both wave-like and
particle-like properties
Travels as a wave
Reflection, refraction, diffraction, interference
Interacts with matter like a particle, photon
Photoelectric effect
 Light Interactions with Solids

So materials are broadly classified as

transparent: relatively little absorption and reflection
translucent: light scattered within the material
opaque: relatively little transmission
 Optical Properties of METALS
• almost any frequency of light can be
absorbed.
• practically all the light is absorbed within
about 0.1μm of the surface.
 Optical Properties of METALS
• So what happens to the excited atoms in the surface layers
of metal atoms?
– they relax again, …………
– a photon (as REFLECTED LIGHT)
• The energy lost by the descending electron is the same as
the one originally incident
• So the metal reflects the light very well
– metals are both opaque and reflective
– the remaining energy is usually lost as heat
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
Non-metals can be opaque or transparent
to visible light
‒ Reflection and Absorption
‒ Refraction and Transmission
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
Semiconductors and insulators behave essentially the same
way, the only difference being in the size of the ………...

‒ If Egap < 1.8 eV

‒ full absorption; color is
black (Si, GaAs)
‒ If Egap > 3.1eV
‒ Transmission ;
transparent (diamond)
‒ If 1.8 eV < Egap < 3.1eV
‒ partial absorption;
material has a color.
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
TRANSMISSION
refers to the passage of light through a medium
• For an incident beam I0 that impinges on the front surface of a
specimen with thickness l and absorption coefficient β the
transmitted intensity IT is

I T  I 0 1  R  e 2 l
2

• Transmitted light depends on losses incurred by absorption

and reflection
• Intensity of transmitted light decreases with distance travelled
(thick pieces less transparent!)
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
• Transmitted light distorts electron clouds.

Light is slower in a material medium than in vacuum.

New Medium
Air

Speed = C

Speed = V
 REFRACTION
• Bending of light due to a change in velocity
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
speed of light in a vacuum c
Index of refraction (n)  
speed of light in a material v

-Adding large, (Lead) heavy ions

can decrease the speed of light.
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
INDEX OF REFRACTION
c c
n 
v 

where λ is the wavelength and ν is the frequency

When light is refracted

• its speed and wavelength λ are changed
• the frequency ν does NOT change
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
REFRACTION

c c
n 
v 

RED LIGHT – longest λ, smallest n, least refracted

VIOLET LIGHT - smallest λ, greatest n, most refracted
n depends on the crystal structure of the material
Optical Properties of Non-METALS

DISPERSION
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
medium 2
medium 1 n2
n1

angle of angle of
incidence refraction
q1 q2

Snell’s Law: n1sinq1  n2sinq2

n1, smaller n2, larger

Ray bends toward normal

n1, larger n2, smaller

Ray bends away

from normal
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
REFLECTION

2
 n2  n1 
Reflectivi ty   
 n2  n1 
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
ABSORPTION
Mechanisms:
1. Electron polarization
2. Valence band-conduction band transition
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
ABSORPTION
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
• Color determined by sum of frequencies of
--transmitted light,
--re-emitted light from electron transitions.

Ex: Ruby = Sapphire (Al2O3) + (0.5

to 2) at% Cr2O3
-- Pure sapphire is colorless
(i.e., Egap > 3.1eV)
-- adding Cr2O3 :
• alters the band gap
• Result: Ruby is deep
red in color.
 Optical Properties of Non-METALS
OPACITY AND TRANSLUCENCY IN INSULATORS

• Even after the light has entered the material, it might

yet be reflected again due to scattering inside the
material
• so a beam of light will spread out or an image will
become blurred
•In extreme cases, the material could become opaque
due to excessive internal scattering
Scattering can come from obvious causes:
• in poly-crystalline materials
•fine pores in ceramics
•different phases of materials
• http://www.columbia.edu/itc/chemistry/chem-
c1403/lectures/_C1403_Lecture7_100404.ppt
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_catastrophe
• http://nbsp.sonoma.edu/resources/teachers_materials/physical_01/light/light
.ppt
• How Things Work by Louis Bloomfield
• http://www.molphys.leidenuniv.nl/monos/smo/basics/images/wave_anim.gif
• users.encs.concordia.ca/~mmedraj/mech221/lecture%2024.pdf
• http://www.kumc.edu/ophthalmology/timberlake/lectures/1-
Light%20&%20Refraction.ppt
• www.kyc.edu.hk/studteach/teacher/hlt/userfiles/11-4_refraction_of_light.ppt
• Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction, 6th Edition by Callister