ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the basic solid-state physics that is necessary to understand the behavior of many optoelectronic devices. Optoelectronics is, in essence, concerned with the interactions between light and the electrons within materials through which the light is propagating. Refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to its speed in the material. For some materials, the refractive index depends on the polarization of the light and on the direction of propagation. The attenuation of light as it travels through a medium is due to scattering and absorption. Scattering is not usually a limiting factor for many applications of optical materials, because the materials have been chosen for their clarity and optical homogeneity. Raman scattering is normally a weak process, generally several orders of magnitude weaker than Rayleigh scattering, but it is useful as a chemical diagnostic technique.