This course is part of the Active Optical Devices Specialization

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42 ratings

Juliet Gopinath

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Part of the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree
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Active Optical Devices SpecializationUniversity of Colorado Boulder

About this Course

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This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5605, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree.
LEDs and Semiconductor Lasers Course Introduction
You will learn about semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers, and the important rules for their analysis, planning, design, and implementation. You will also apply your knowledge through challenging homework problem sets to cement your understanding of the material and prepare you to apply in your career. 

Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course you will be able to…
  (1) Design a semiconductor light emitting diode and analyze efficiency
  (2) Design a semiconductor laser
  (3) Choose suitable semiconductor materials for light emitting devices

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Course 1 of 3 in the

Active Optical Devices Specialization

Advanced Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 1 of 3 in the

Active Optical Devices Specialization

Advanced Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

3.85/5 (9 Ratings)

Juliet Gopinath

Associate Professor

Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering

13,450 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

Start working towards your Master's degree

This course is part of the 100% online Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted to the full program, your courses count towards your degree learning.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

5 hours to complete

Semiconductor fundamentals

Light emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers is a really special course, and probably one of my favorite. In it, you will learn the fundamental operating principles, design, fabrication techniques and applications of two of the most widely used light emitting devices in the world today - light emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers. For module 1, I am really looking forward to introducing you to the magical world of semiconductors. In this module, we will review the basics of semiconductor physics and you will learn how we can manipulate the materials to tailor electrical and optical properties.

5 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 59 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes

15 videos

Active Optical Devices Specialization Introduction3mIntroduction to Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductor Lasers1mIntroduction to Semiconductor Fundamentals2mEnergy Bands and Semiconductors5mDefinition of a Semiconductor2mDensity of States7mCarrier Density, Part I5mCarrier Density, Part II6mCarrier Density, Part III5mIntrinsic and Extrinsic Semiconductors4mFermi Levels with Dopants2mDopant Energy Levels, Part I2mDopant Energy Levels, Part II1mCharge Neutrality, Part I3mCharge Neutrality, Part II5m

4 readings

Recommended References5mWeek 1 Reading Assignments1hSemiconductor Physics Review1hMATLAB License5m

2 practice exercises

Semiconductor Fundamentals Practice45mSemiconductor Fundamentals Review45m

Week2

Week 2

5 hours to complete

Radiative recombination in semiconductors

5 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 51 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

15 videos

Radiative Recombination in Semiconductors2mRadiative and Non-Radiative Transitions, Part I3mRadiative and Non-Radiative Transitions, Part II1mK Selection Rules5mDirect and Indirect Bandgaps3mDerivation of Absorption Coefficient2mJoint Density of States, Direct Bandgap Semiconductor3mDirect and Indirect Bandgaps, Part II6mAbsorption in Indirect Bandgap Semiconductor3mRadiative Transition Rate4mExamples of Radiative Transition Rates in Direct and Indirect Gap Semiconductors40sMinority Carrier Lifetime, Part I3mMinority Carrier Lifetime, Part II4mMinority Carrier Lifetime, Part III2mRadiative Efficiency1m

3 readings

Week 2 Reading Assignments2hReferences5mRadiative Recombination in Semiconductors10m

2 practice exercises

Radiative Recombination in Semiconductors Practice45mRadiative Recombination in Semiconductors1h

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

3 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 38 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

14 videos

Light Emitting Diode (LED)1mPN Junction2mCurrent in PN Junction4mTypical LED Structure1mLED Losses, Part I3mTotal Internal Reflection2mLED Losses, Part II58sLED Efficiencies2mEmission Spectra, Part I3mEmission Spectra, Part II1mCarrier Temperature2mLED Wavelengths3mBlue LEDs3mDouble Heterostructure LED2m

3 readings

Week 3 Reading Assignment10mRecommended References5mLight Emitting Diode (LED)10m

2 practice exercises

Light Emitting Diode (LED) Practice45mLight Emitting Diode (LED)1h

Week4

Week 4

6 hours to complete

Fundamentals of semiconductor lasers

In the last module, we learned about light emitting diodes or LEDs. Now, we will use our knowledge of semiconductors and in particular, radiative recombination, to tackle an even more powerful device, the semiconductor laser. This technology is probably the most successful laser technology of our time, with every compact disc player incorporating a 6-cent semiconductor laser. I hope you enjoy this unit as much as I do.

6 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 41 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

13 videos

Fundamentals of Semiconductor Lasers2mHistory of Semiconductor Lasers4mFundamental Processes in a Semiconductor Laser3mNon-Equilibrium Carrier Distribution5mQuasi-Fermi Levels3mDensity of Photons2mEinstein Coefficients, Part I3mEinstein Coefficients, Part II3mStimulated Emission Rate, Part I3mCalculating Minimum Intensity Needed for Stimulated Emission6mStimulated Emission Rate, Part II52sGain in Semiconductor Lasers2mGain Spectrum28s

3 readings

Week 4 Reading Assignments4hRecommended References5mFundamentals of Semiconductor Lasers10m

2 practice exercises

Fundamentals of Semiconductor Lasers Practice45mFundamentals of Semiconductor Lasers45m

Reviews

4.0

12 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
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3 stars
16.66%
2 stars
7.14%
1 star
7.14%

TOP REVIEWS FROM LIGHT EMITTING DIODES AND SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS

by GSMay 14, 2020

The course is completely theoretical, it would be nice to have a more hands-on topics.

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About the Active Optical Devices Specialization

The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5605-5607, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.

This Active Optical Devices specialization is designed to help you gain complete understanding of active optical devices by clearly defining and interconnecting the fundamental physical mechanisms, device design principles, and device performance. You will study and gain active experience with light emitting semiconductor devices like light emitting diodes and lasers, nanophotonics, optical detectors, and displays. Specialization Learning Outcomes: *Analyze and design semiconductor light sources, and surrounding optical systems *Analyze and design detection systems for LIDAR, microscopy and cameras *Analyze and design systems for optical device systems that can adapt to the environment at hand. *Use lasers and optical electronics in electronic systems through an understanding of the interaction of light and atoms, laser rate equations and noise in photo-detection.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductor Lasers

About this Course