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Photonics Dictionary

heterojunction

A heterojunction is a junction formed between two different semiconductor materials with differing band gaps. These materials can be of the same or different types (e.g., both n-type, both p-type, or one n-type and one p-type), and they possess different electronic properties.

Band gap difference: The primary characteristic is the difference in band gap energies between the two materials. This leads to unique electronic and optical properties at the interface.

Energy band alignment: There are three types of band alignments in heterojunctions: straddling gap (type I), staggered gap (type II), and broken gap (type III). Each type influences the movement and behavior of electrons and holes at the junction.

Interface properties: The interface between the two materials can lead to improved device performance, such as increased efficiency in solar cells and LEDs, due to better charge carrier separation and recombination characteristics.

Heterojunctions are widely used in various electronic and optoelectronic devices, including:

Solar cells: Enhancing the separation of electron-hole pairs to increase efficiency.

LEDs: Improving the injection and recombination of carriers to produce light more efficiently.

Transistors: Providing higher speed and better performance in heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs).

An example of a heterojunction is the junction between silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) in certain high-efficiency photovoltaic cells.

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