Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of

electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...

devices and systems that find, detect and control

light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 te ...

, usually considered a sub-field of

photonics Photonics is a branch of optics that involves the application of generation, detection, and manipulation of light in form of photons through emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, and sensing. Though ...

. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radiation such as

gamma ray A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically ...

X-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...

ultraviolet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation ...

and

infrared Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...

, in addition to visible light. Optoelectronic devices are electrical-to-optical or optical-to-electrical

transducer A transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another. Usually a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in another. Transducers are often employed at the boundaries of automation, measurement, and cont ...

s, or instruments that use such devices in their operation. ''

Electro-optics Electro–optics is a branch of electrical engineering, electronic engineering, materials science, and material physics involving components, electronic devices such as lasers, laser diodes, LEDs, waveguides, etc. which operate by the propa ...

'' is often erroneously used as a synonym, but is a wider branch of

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

that concerns all interactions between light and electric fields, whether or not they form part of an electronic device. Optoelectronics is based on the

quantum mechanical Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, qua ...

effects of

on electronic materials, especially semiconductors, sometimes in the presence of electric fields. *

Photoelectric 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 ...

or photovoltaic effect, used in: ** photodiodes (including

solar cell A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon.

s) ** phototransistors ** photomultipliers ** optoisolators ** integrated optical circuit (IOC) elements * Photoconductivity, used in: ** photoresistors ** photoconductive camera tubes ** charge-coupled imaging devices * Stimulated emission, used in: ** injection laser diodes ** quantum cascade lasers * Lossev effect, or radiative recombination, used in: ** light-emitting diodes or LED ** OLEDs * Photoemission, Photoemissivity, used in ** Phototube, photoemissive camera tube Important applications of optoelectronics include: * Optocoupler * Optical fiber Telecommunication, communications

References

External links

*
OIDA (Optoelectronics Industry Development Association)
{{Authority control Optoelectronics,

See also

References

External links