Optoelectronic Devices

John Carlo S. Tigue

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
University of San Carlos Talamban Campus
Cebu City, Philippines
[email protected]

Abstract The purpose of this experiment is to understand Solar Cells - is an electronic device that directly converts
the characteristics and operation of voltage regulators. Voltage suns energy into electricity. When sunlight falls on a solar
regulators are designed so as to produce a DC output needed in cell, it produces both a current and a voltage to produce
order to sustain the requirement of a predefine range of the load electric power.
connected to it. The first part of the experiment focuses on the
Sunlight, which is composed of photons, radiates from the
fixed voltage regulator while the second part is on adjustable
voltage regulator. The needed values of electrical parameters for sun. When photons hit the silicon atoms of the solar cell, they
both the input and output side are obtained to determine the transfer their energy to lose electrons; and then, these high-
voltage regulation which is an important factor in describing the energy electron flow to an external circuit.
performance of voltage regulator circuits. The data and results
shows that varying the capacitor changes the amplitude of the Light Emitting Diodes - is a P-N semiconductor diode in
ripple voltage which in return also affects how pulsating or pure which the recombination of electrons and holes yields a
is the DC output. Moreover, larger regulation is assumed that the photon. When the diode is electrically biased in the forward
circuit is not performing better if there is large difference of direction, it emits incoherent narrow spectrum light. When a
voltages at no load and at full load.
voltage is applied to the leads of the LED, the electrons
Index Terms voltage regulator, fixed, adjustable, regulation, recombine with the holes within the device and release energy
ripple, linear IC. in the form of photons. This effect is called as
electroluminescence. It is the conversion of electrical energy
I. INTRODUCTION into light. The color of the light is decided by the energy band
Optoelectronics is the communication between optics and gap of the material.
electronics which includes the study, design and manufacture
Optical Fiber - is a plastic and transparent fiber made of
of a hardware device that converts electrical energy into light plastic or glass. It is somewhat thicker than a human hair. It
and light into energy through semiconductors. This device is can function as a light pipe or waveguide to transmit light
made from solid crystalline materials which are lighter than between the two ends of the fiber. Optical fibers usually
metals and heavier than insulators. Optoelectronics device is include three concentric layers: a core, a cladding and a jacket.
The core, a light transmitting region of the fiber, is the central
basically an electronic device involving light. This device can
section of the fiber, which is made of silica. Cladding, the
be found in many optoelectronics applications like military protective layer around the core, is made of silica.This creates
services, telecommunications, automatic access control an optical waveguide that limits the light in the core by total
systems and medical equipments. reflection at the interface of the core-cladding. Jacket, the
non-optical layer around the cladding, typically consists of
one or more layers of a polymer that protect the silica from the
Types of Optoelectronics Devices
physical or environmental damage.

Optoelectronics are classified into different types such as Laser Diodes - is a source of highly monochromatic, coherent
and directional light. It operates under stimulated emission
Photodiode - is a semiconductor light sensor that generates a condition. The function of a laser diode is to convert electrical
voltage or current when light falls on the junction. It consists energy into light energy like infrared diodes or LEDs. The
of an active P-N junction, which is operated in reverse bias. beam of a typical laser has 40.6mm extending at a distance
When a photon with plenty of energy strikes the of 15 meters. The most common lasers used are injection
semiconductor, an electron or hole pair is created. lasers or semiconductor lasers. The semiconductor laser
changes from other lasers like solid, liquid and gas lasers.
 information regarding the same, please post your queries by
Applications of Optoelectronics Devices commenting below.

1. LEDs could become the next generation of lighting and

used anywhere like in indication lights, computer components,
medical devices, watches, instrument panels, switches, fiber-
optic communication, consumer electronics, household
appliances, traffic signals, automobile brake lights, 7 segment II. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
displays and inactive displays, and also used in A. Fixed Voltage Regulator Circuit
different electronic and electrical engineering projects such as

Propeller Display of Message by Virtual LEDs

LED Based Automatic Emergency Light
Mains Operated LED Light
Display of Dialed Telephone Numbers on Seven
Segment Display
Solar Powered Led Street Light with Auto Intensity
Figure 3: Fixed Voltage Regulator Circuit Diagram
Control
2. The solar cells are applicable in rural electrification,
telecommunication systems, ocean navigation aids, and B. Adjustable Voltage Regulator Circuit
electric power generation in space and remote monitoring and
control systems and also used in different solar energy based
projects such as

Solar Energy Measurement System

Arduino based Solar Street Light
Solar Powered Auto Irrigation System
Solar Power Charge Controller
Sun Tracking Solar Panel Figure 4: Adjustable Voltage Regulator Circuit Diagram

3. Photodiodes are used in many types of circuits and different

applications such as cameras, medical instruments, safety III. METHODOLOGY
equipments, industries, communication devices and industrial
equipments. In order to know the basic structure and characteristics of
thyristors (SCR) and to be able to identify the three terminals
4. Optical fibers are used in telecommunications, sensors, of the SCR, the circuit diagrams as shown in figures 1 and 2
fiber lasers, bio-medicals and in many other industries. were constructed. Also, to be able to verify the different ways
to trigger and turn off an SCR.
5. The laser diodes are used in fiber optic communication,
optical memories, military applications, CD players, surgical
procedures, Local Area Networks, long distance Part I. SCR Characteristics
communications, optical memories, fiber optic
communications and in electrical projects such as RF The circuit shown in figure 1 was constructed. The DC
Controlled Robotic Vehicle with Laser Beam Arrangement
output of the power source was initially adjusted to 6 volts.
and so on.
The voltage across the anode and cathode was then measured
Thus, this is all about the optoelectronic devices which after initially adjusted the power source. The voltage across the
include laser diodes, photo diodes, solar cells, LEDs, optical gate and cathode was also measured. This value was recorded
fibers.These optoelectronic devices are used in different under the off state column in table 1. The ammeter reading
electronic project kits as well as in telecommunications,
of the node current was also recorded. The SCR was triggered
military services and in medical applications. For more
by connecting terminal to the point X and remove it when it is
already conducting or on state. To evaluate if the SCR is in VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
the on state, there must be a current reading in the anode Part I. Fixed Voltage Regulator Circuit
ammeter. The observation was made to the SCR when the gate
connection from point X was removed. The observation was Table 1: SCR Charactersitics
noted in the manual. C1 Value Output Voltage
While it is in the on state, the anode to cathode was Vm Vr(pp) Vno-load VDC %
regulation
measured and also the gate to cathode voltages. These
470F 12V 600mV 11.9V 11.7V 1.79%
measured values was recorded in the on state column of 100F 11.8V 2.20V 11V 10.7V 2.80%
table 1 together with the ammeter reading in the anode. The Table 1B: Voltage Values of the Output Side at Different Input Capacitor
power source was turned off and then turned it on again. The The table above shows the voltage values at input and
observation was made to the SCR if it is conducting. It was output side at different values of the input capacitor C 1. Notice
explained and the observation was recorded in the manual. that the ripple voltage (Vrpp) is higher at the 100F capacitor
The SCR was triggered again by connecting the ammeter compared to the 470F. This indicates that the amplitude of the
between the gate and point X with the positive polarity at point ripple is bigger at the less capacitor value. Mainly, the ripple
X. The student was fast in reading the gate trigger current. This would affect the value of the output DC voltage causing for it
value was then recorded in table 1. to less DC content which is mathematically expressed in eqn.
The value of the source was slowly reduced by varying the 4. The percent regulation is also of larger value which cant be
input voltage to the circuit using the regulator circuit knob. The consider as better performance compared to percentage
value of the holding current was obtained. The DC power regulation that is of lesser value. Below are the waveforms of
supply was turned off after the said current was obtained. The the two input capacitors.
measured value was recorded in the manual.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
From the data and results taken, the analysis had led this
experiment to assumed conclusions stated below:
Part II. SCR Triggering
LM7812 are often used as positive linear IC fixed voltage
Figure 2 above was assembled for diode Triggered SCR. regulators and LM317T as negative linear IC adjustable
The probes of the oscilloscope was connected as indicated in voltage regulators.
the diagram. The following oscilloscope settings as shown in For voltage regulator circuits, the greater the value of the
table 2 were recommended before doing the experiment. The capacitor, the lesser is the ripple voltage. The capacitor is
oscilloscope readings was verified if it is correct before used as a filter element. The higher value of capacitor
recording the values. allows it to store high value of voltage. Since the capacitor
The oscilloscope mode was switched to channel 2. The 20k- is literally stubborn to changes in voltage, when the
potentiometer shaft was rotated clockwise and rectified voltage approaches zero conduction, the capacitor
counterclockwise while observing the displayed waveform on releases or discharges its stored voltage allowing the
the oscilloscope screen. All the observations made after discharging curve to slow down. This slow down allows
rotating the potentiometer was tabulated in the manual. The give time for the rectified voltage to rise again, so the
minimum and maximum firing delay angle of the circuit was capacitor is not fully discharge but rather charges again
measured. The circuit was hen modified in order to attain an and the cycles goes over again.
FDA max about 90 degrees. These measured value was Voltage regulators are used so as to produce constant and
recorded on the space provided below. The dual mode was pure DC enough for the operation of electronic devices.
used and the input waveform was positioned on top of the However, the filtering process must be enough to provide
output waveform. The DC power supply was turned off after the pure DC output as stated on second conclusion.
the said current was obtained. Moreover, the filter must be characterized such that it
 would provide enough headroom/ drop out for the
regulator.
REFERENCES
Voltage regulation describes the performance of the
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output voltage does not change when it was measured [3]http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/How-to-
connect-a-voltage-regulator-in-a-circuit.retrieved
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regulation entails that the voltage regulator is performing [4]Boylestad, R. Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory. 11 th ed.,
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The student would like to thank his family for support and
encouragement, his instructor for willingness and patience in
teaching, and most of all to the Almighty God who provides.