Optoelectronic device simulation: Optical modeling for semiconductor optical amplifiers and Solid state lighting

Abstract

This dissertation includes two parallel topics: optical modeling of wavelength converters based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) and optical modeling for LEDs and solid state lighting. A steady-state numerical model of wavelength converters based on cross-gain SOAs is developed. In this model, a new model of the gain coefficient is applied. Each physical variable, such as the carrier density, gain coefficient, differential gain, and internal loss, spatially varies across the SOA cavity and is numerically calculated throughout the device. Increased accuracy over previous studies is achieved by including such spatial variations. This model predicts wavelength-dependent characteristics of a wavelength converter of the SOA in both large and small signal regimes. Some key performance factors of SOA wavelength converters. A hybrid method incorporating both guided wave optics and optical ray tracing is also developed to model LEDs and solid state lighting. This method can model either single wavelength or dual-wavelength LED structures with different die shapes and packages. The waveguide and diffraction optics are mainly used to model the near-field optics inside LED chips and its vicinity and to identify guided modes and leakage modes. Geometrical ray tracing is applied to model the far-field pattern and light interactions at different material interfaces, such as LED chip structures, LED package materials, and light scattering at those rough surfaces and textures. To improve LED light extraction efficiency, different LED die shapes and device structures can also be optimized using this method. New technologies for future research on SOAs and LEDs are also proposed.