Abstract:
The materials I have to be used for this review work are different journals, articles, handbooks
and reference books. These are available in the internet and the references. In semiconductor
photonic device fabrication, an important objective is to produce as much light as possible from
the device. In these devices, photons are released when electrons recombine with holes during
transitioning from a high energy state to a lower one. Unfortunately, electron-hole recombination
does not always result in the formation of photon. There are three basic types of recombination:
the first results in the formation of a photon and is called radiative recombination and the second
and the third, known as non-radiative and Auger recombination respectively, result in the heating
of the device and do not produce photons. All three processes occur simultaneously in the
device. This project work discusses the theoretical review of emission of light from quantum
wells as a result of electron-hole recombination. Quantum wells are thin layered semiconductor
structures in which we can observe and control many quantum mechanical effects. This leads to
the electrons and the holes being confined in different layers of the semiconductor. In order to
describe the band gap energy, the Schrödinger equation is very important. The solution of the
Schrodinger equation for the electron energy, in the periodic potential created by the collection
of atoms in a crystal lattice, results in splitting of the atomic energy levels and the formation of
energy bands. This review work also addresses light incident on semiconductor materials with
the photons interacting with the material. Depending on their energy and the recombination rate,
the process can result in thermal or non-thermal equilibrium.
