Undergraduate Elective on Optoelectronic Materials and Devices

An elective course on optoelectronic materials and devices offered at the University of San Diego is described. Main topics include band structure, semiconductor alloys, optical processes, photodetectors, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, fiber optics, and quantum wells. Laboratory projects and innovative pedagogical aspects of the course are also discussed. 2003 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (000.2060) Education, (040.2020) Diode lasers, (040.5160) Photodetectors, (060.2310) Fiber Optics Introduction From DVD players to fiber optic communication networks, optoelectronics are everywhere. To educate productive modern engineers, it is essential to introduce them to the important concepts underlying the multidisciplinary field of optoelectronics. The importance of this has been discussed for over a decade. In 1992 in a guest editorial, W. T. Cathey said "it seems inevitable that the key technologies for transmitting and perhaps processing information will be based on the manipulation of photons, rather than electrons." [1] Many excellent examples of optoelectronics education for undergraduates have been reported including for example those in a special issue of the IEEE Transactions on Education [2] on optoelectronics education and the previous Education and Training in Optics and Photonics (ETOP) conferences [3]. This paper discusses an elective course in Optoelectronic Materials and Devices which is being developed at the University of San Diego (USD) for juniors and seniors in electrical engineering. The course aims to provide an introduction to optoelectronic materials and devices and to aid the students' professional development by addressing issues such as the ability to critically evaluate technical papers, conduct effective literature research, and express information orally and in writing. Thus in addition to lecture and laboratory, several other opportunities were provided to directly address these professional development issues. Course Structure The elective course, EEE 194 Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, consists of three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Due to the limited availability of laboratory facilities, the enrollment is capped at eight students. Typically there are about twenty students in junior and senior level required electrical engineering classes at USD. Students usually have a choice of two or three electives in a given semester. In Fall 1999 during its first offering, seven students including juniors and seniors took the course. In Fall 2003, eight seniors took the course. This paper will focus on the 2003 offering. There was one midterm exam and a cumulative final exam. Before each exam, the instructor provided detailed objectives. On the syllabus, the overall course objectives were stated as By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. Describe, using band diagrams and appropriate equations, the physical operation of important optoelectronic devices including semiconductor lasers, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and photodetectors. 2. Identify key performance parameters of lasers, LEDs, and photodetectors and be able to calculate or design to achieve these parameters using appropriate data, information, and equations. 3. Explain the materials issues involved in the design of lasers, LEDs, and photodetectors. 4. Describe typical characterization techniques for optoelectronic materials and devices including equipment required, information obtained, and performance parameters. 5. Conduct laboratory experiments to characterize optoelectronic sources and detectors. 6. Identify at least 2 current topics in optoelectronics research. 7. Conduct effective literature research including critically evaluating technical papers, and expressing information orally and in writing. Note that these objectives are also designed to satisfy ABET 2000’s criteria a through k.