Electronic circuits provide us with the ability to control the transport and storage of electrons. However, the performance of electronic circuits is now becoming rather limited when digital information needs to be sent from one point to another. Photonics offers an effective solution to this problem by implementing optical communication systems based on optical fibers and photonic circuits. Unfortunately, the micrometer-scale bulky components of photonics have limited the integration of these components into electronic chips, which are now measured in nanometers. Surface plasmon-based circuits, which merge electronics and photonics at the nanoscale, may offer a solution to this size-compatibility problem. Here we review the current status and future prospects of plasmonics in various applications including plasmonic chips, light generation, and nanolithography.

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Plasmonics: merging photonics and electronics at nanoscale dimensions.

Nanocrystals (NCs) discussed in this Review are tiny crystals of metals, semiconductors, and magnetic material consisting of hundreds to a few thousand atoms each. Their size ranges from 2-3 to about 20 nm. What is special about this size regime that placed NCs among the hottest research topics of the last decades? The quantum mechanical coupling * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dvtalapin@uchicago.edu. † The University of Chicago. ‡ Argonne National Lab. Chem. Rev. 2010, 110, 389–458 389

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Prospects of Colloidal Nanocrystals for Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications

With digital equipment becoming increasingly networked, either on wired or wireless networks, for personal and professional use alike, distributed software systems have become a crucial element in information and communications technologies. The study of these systems forms the core of the ARLES' work, which is specifically concerned with defining new system software architectures, based on the use of emerging networking technologies. In this context, we concentrate on the study of distributed systems which bring to life the vision of ubiquitous computing systems, also known as ambient intelligence.

반도체 공정 overview

The term photonic crystals appears because of the analogy between electron waves in crystals and the light waves in artificial periodic dielectric structures. During the recent years the investigation of one-, two-and three-dimensional periodic structures has attracted a widespread attention of the world optics community because of great potentiality of such structures in advanced applied optical fields. The interest in periodic structures has been stimulated by the fast development of semiconductor technology that now allows the fabrication of artificial structures, whose period is comparable with the wavelength of light in the visible and infrared ranges.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/6354/16969/00781867.pdf

Photonic crystals

There is a special reason for reviewing this book at this time: it is the 50th edition of a compendium that is known and used frequently in most chemical and physical laboratories in many parts of the world. Surely, a publication that has been published for 56 years, withstanding the vagaries of science in this century, must have had something to offer. There is another reason: while the book is a standard fixture in most chemical and physical laboratories, including those in medical centers, it is not as frequently seen in the laboratories of physician's offices (those either in solo or group practice). I believe that the Handbook can be useful in those laboratories. One of the reasons, among others, is that the various basic items of information it offers may be helpful in new tests, either physical or chemical, which are continuously being published. The basic information may relate

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics

More than a century after the introduction of incandescent lighting and half a century after the introduction of fluorescent lighting, solid-state light sources are revolutionizing an increasing number of applications. Whereas the efficiency of conventional incandescent and fluorescent lights is limited by fundamental factors that cannot be overcome, the efficiency of solid-state sources is limited only by human creativity and imagination. The high efficiency of solid-state sources already provides energy savings and environmental benefits in a number of applications. However, solid-state sources also offer controllability of their spectral power distribution, spatial distribution, color temperature, temporal modulation, and polarization properties. Such ‘‘smart’’ light sources can adjust to specific environments and requirements, a property that could result in tremendous benefits in lighting, automobiles, transportation, communication, imaging, agriculture, and medicine.

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Solid-State Light Sources Getting Smart

Inorganic semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are environmentally benign and have already found widespread use as indicator lights, large-area displays, and signage applications. In addition, LEDs are very promising candidates for future energy-saving light sources suitable for office and home lighting applications. Today, the entire visible spectrum can be covered by light-emitting semiconductors: AlGaInP and AlGaInN compound semiconductors are capable of emission in the red to yellow wavelength range and ultraviolet (uv) to green wavelength range, respectively. Currently, two basic approaches exist for white light sources: The combination of one or more phosphorescent materials with a semiconductor LED and the use of multiple LEDs emitting at complementary wavelengths. Both approaches are suitable for high efficiency sources that have the potential to replace incandescent and fluorescent lights. In this article, the properties of inorganic LEDs will be presented, including emission spectra, electrical characteristics, and current-flow patterns. Structures providing high internal quantum efficiency, namely, heterostructures and multiple quantum well structures, will be discussed. Advanced techniques enhancing the external quantum efficiency will be reviewed, including resonant-cavities, die shaping (chip shaping), omnidirectional reflectors, and photonic crystals. Different approaches to white LEDs will be presented and figures-of-merit such as the color rendering index, luminous efficacy, and luminous efficiency will be explained. Finally, the packaging of low power and high power LED dies will be discussed.


Keywords:

light-emitting diodes (LEDs);
solid-state lighting;
compound semiconductors;
device physics;
reflectors;
resonant cavity LEDs;
white LEDs;
packaging

Light Emitting Diodes

The efficiency droop in GaInN∕GaN multiple-quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diodes is investigated. Measurements show that the efficiency droop, occurring under high injection conditions, is unrelated to junction temperature. Furthermore, the photoluminescence output as a function of excitation power shows no droop, indicating that the droop is not related to MQW efficiency but rather to the recombination of carriers outside the MQW region. Simulations show that polarization fields in the MQW and electron blocking layer enable the escape of electrons from the MQW region and thus are the physical origin of the droop. It is shown that through the use of proper quaternary AlGaInN compositions, polarization effects are reduced, thereby minimizing droop and improving efficiency.

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Origin of efficiency droop in GaN-based light-emitting diodes

Optical thin-film materials with low refractive index for broadband elimination of Fresnel reflection

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About twenty years ago, in the autumn of 1996, the first white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were offered for sale. These then-new devices ushered in a new era in lighting by displacing lower-efficiency conventional light sources including Edison's venerable incandescent lamp as well as the Hg-discharge-based fluorescent lamp. We review the history of the conception, improvement, and commercialization of the white LED. Early models of white LEDs already exceeded the efficiency of low-wattage incandescent lamps, and extraordinary progress has been made during the last 20 years. The review also includes a discussion of advances in blue LED chips, device architecture, light extraction, and phosphors. Finally, we offer a brief outlook on opportunities provided by smart LED technology.

Jong Kyu Kim

Papers

Solid-State Light Sources Getting Smart

Light Emitting Diodes

Origin of efficiency droop in GaN-based light-emitting diodes

Optical thin-film materials with low refractive index for broadband elimination of Fresnel reflection

White light-emitting diodes: History, progress, and future