Optical Properties of Materials
LIGHT
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
A transverse wave of mutually perpendicular, time-
varying electric and magnetic fields that propagate at
constant speed, c, in vacuum
electromagnetic radiation can have both wave-like and
particle-like properties
Travels as a wave
Reflection, refraction, diffraction, interference
Interacts with matter like a particle, photon
Photoelectric effect
Light Interactions with Solids
So materials are broadly classified as
transparent: relatively little absorption and reflection
translucent: light scattered within the material
opaque: relatively little transmission
Optical Properties of METALS
• almost any frequency of light can be
absorbed.
• practically all the light is absorbed within
about 0.1μm of the surface.
Optical Properties of METALS
• So what happens to the excited atoms in the surface layers
of metal atoms?
– they relax again, …………
– a photon (as REFLECTED LIGHT)
• The energy lost by the descending electron is the same as
the one originally incident
• So the metal reflects the light very well
– metals are both opaque and reflective
– the remaining energy is usually lost as heat
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
Non-metals can be opaque or transparent
to visible light
‒ Reflection and Absorption
‒ Refraction and Transmission
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
Semiconductors and insulators behave essentially the same
way, the only difference being in the size of the ………...
‒ If Egap < 1.8 eV
‒ full absorption; color is
black (Si, GaAs)
‒ If Egap > 3.1eV
‒ Transmission ;
transparent (diamond)
‒ If 1.8 eV < Egap < 3.1eV
‒ partial absorption;
material has a color.
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
TRANSMISSION
refers to the passage of light through a medium
• For an incident beam I0 that impinges on the front surface of a
specimen with thickness l and absorption coefficient β the
transmitted intensity IT is
I T I 0 1 R e 2 l
2
• Transmitted light depends on losses incurred by absorption
and reflection
• Intensity of transmitted light decreases with distance travelled
(thick pieces less transparent!)
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
• Transmitted light distorts electron clouds.
Light is slower in a material medium than in vacuum.
New Medium
Air
Speed = C
Speed = V
REFRACTION
• Bending of light due to a change in velocity
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
speed of light in a vacuum c
Index of refraction (n)
speed of light in a material v
-Adding large, (Lead) heavy ions
can decrease the speed of light.
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
INDEX OF REFRACTION
c c
n
v
where λ is the wavelength and ν is the frequency
When light is refracted
• its speed and wavelength λ are changed
• the frequency ν does NOT change
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
REFRACTION
c c
n
v
RED LIGHT – longest λ, smallest n, least refracted
VIOLET LIGHT - smallest λ, greatest n, most refracted
n depends on the crystal structure of the material
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
DISPERSION
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
medium 2
medium 1 n2
n1
angle of angle of
incidence refraction
q1 q2
Snell’s Law: n1sinq1 n2sinq2
n1, smaller n2, larger
Ray bends toward normal
n1, larger n2, smaller
Ray bends away
from normal
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
REFLECTION
2
n2 n1
Reflectivi ty
n2 n1
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
ABSORPTION
Mechanisms:
1. Electron polarization
2. Valence band-conduction band transition
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
ABSORPTION
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
• Color determined by sum of frequencies of
--transmitted light,
--re-emitted light from electron transitions.
Ex: Ruby = Sapphire (Al2O3) + (0.5
to 2) at% Cr2O3
-- Pure sapphire is colorless
(i.e., Egap > 3.1eV)
-- adding Cr2O3 :
• alters the band gap
• Result: Ruby is deep
red in color.
Optical Properties of Non-METALS
OPACITY AND TRANSLUCENCY IN INSULATORS
• Even after the light has entered the material, it might
yet be reflected again due to scattering inside the
material
• so a beam of light will spread out or an image will
become blurred
•In extreme cases, the material could become opaque
due to excessive internal scattering
Scattering can come from obvious causes:
• in poly-crystalline materials
•fine pores in ceramics
•different phases of materials
• http://www.columbia.edu/itc/chemistry/chem-
c1403/lectures/_C1403_Lecture7_100404.ppt
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_catastrophe
• http://nbsp.sonoma.edu/resources/teachers_materials/physical_01/light/light
.ppt
• How Things Work by Louis Bloomfield
• http://www.molphys.leidenuniv.nl/monos/smo/basics/images/wave_anim.gif
• users.encs.concordia.ca/~mmedraj/mech221/lecture%2024.pdf
• http://www.kumc.edu/ophthalmology/timberlake/lectures/1-
Light%20&%20Refraction.ppt
• www.kyc.edu.hk/studteach/teacher/hlt/userfiles/11-4_refraction_of_light.ppt
• Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction, 6th Edition by Callister
