ABSTRACT
Optoelectronics is, in essence, concerned with the interactions between light and the electrons within
materials through which the light is propagating. This paper reviews the basic solid state physics that is
necessary to understand the behaviour of many optoelectronic devices. The emphasis is on the physical
models that are used to understand and predict the behaviour of materials. It is assumed that the reader
has some knowledge of the basic principles of quantum mechanics, but no attempt will be made to
formulate the models in a rigorous mathematical form. Only inorganic materials will be considered in
this paper, as polymers and organic materials are considered elsewhere. As the interaction between light
and a material is primarily through the electrons, it will be necessary to review the behaviour of electrons
in a solid material in some detail, with particular emphasis on semiconductors because of their
technological importance.
