- LED Lighting
- Optoelectronic
- Sensors
- Power Supply
- Electromechanics
- Signal Technology
- Memory & Storage
- Thermal Management
- Circuit Breaker
- Hi-Rel
- Diverse
The term optoelectronics was coined in the 1950s by British physicist Herbert Kroemer. He used the term to describe the combination of optical and electronic elements in a device or system. The term optoelectronics encompasses all methods and techniques that enable the conversion of electronically generated data and energy into light emission and vice versa. Light serves as a signal carrier for the transmission of information, for the measurement of physical quantities or for the generation of images.
Optoelectronics is based on the properties of light and photons and has its origin in phototechnology, which deals with the generation and use of light. Light is electromagnetic radiation that travels at the speed of light from one place to another. The properties of light, such as wavelength and intensity, can be used to transmit information. Photons are the elementary particles that make up light.
Optoelectronic components can be divided into actuators (transmitters) and detectors (receivers). Optoelectronic actuators are semiconductor components that generate light from electricity, such as lasers and light-emitting diodes. The emission of light can be located in both the visible and invisible spectral range (UV or infrared). Optoelectronic detectors are the counterparts to actuators and include, for example, photoresistors, photodiodes, and phototransistors. There are also light sensors that are constructed as integrated circuits, such as CCD sensors.
Optoelectronic components can also be divided into active and passive components. Active components emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible or invisible range and include LED lights, infrared sensors, UV emitters, and laser diodes. Passive components, on the other hand, process visible and invisible light, but do not generate radiation themselves. Passive components include, for example, infrared ray receivers, phototransistors, and photodiodes.
Optoelectronic sensors are devices that use light as a measure to gather certain information about the environment. They consist of an optoelectronic actuator that emits light and an optoelectronic detector that detects and measures the emitted light. When the actuator and detector are operated as a system, an optical sensor, also called an optosensor, is created.
Optoelectronic sensors are used in many fields, such as industrial automation, medical technology, traffic technology, and even consumer electronics. They can be used to measure distances, speeds, tilt angles, accelerations, and many other quantities. There are different types of optoelectronic sensors that are suitable for different applications. For example, there are fiber-optic sensors that guide light in glass fibers and are used for data transmission or distance measurement. There are also photodiode sensors that detect light and are used for measuring light intensities or detecting movements.
Materials in optoelectronics play an important role in the development of devices and components that serve as an interface between electrical and optical components or contain such components. An important property of materials in optoelectronics is their ability to emit or detect light. Semiconductor materials are usually used for this purpose because of their electrical properties.
Popular semiconductor materials for optoelectronic components include:
However, this is just a selection of materials used in optoelectronics. The choice of material depends on various factors such as the desired property of the component (e.g. emission spectrum or detection sensitivity), the application to be solved, and the manufacturing method. Material selection is therefore an important part of the development of optoelectronic components and devices.
Optoelectronics is used in many areas, including: