7 Applications: Optical communications, biophotonics, optical sensing, lighting, and energy
7.1 Optoelectronics applications

Main applications of optoelectronics are detailed in the following table.

Aplications of optoelectronics.

Application

Characteristics

Fibre optics communications

  • Telecomunications
  • Computer networks
  • Cable TV

Fibre optics is used as a transmission chanel of information because of its intrinsic characteristics: Low cost and weigh, low attenuation and dispersion, and provide high bandwith.

Other optoelectronic devices as LDs, photodetectors, sensors, optical amplifiers, optic modulators and demodulators, multiplexers and demultiplexers forms part of the optics communication systems.

Optical data transmission is also used in equipment control and industrial automatization.

Consumer electronic products

A large set of consumer electronic product in the market include optoelectronic devices as photodetectors, leds, CCD sensors, photodiodes, phototransistors etc..

  • Computers & Printers
  • CD readers
  • Thermal imaging
  • Cameras and Displays
  • Smart phones
  • Massive memory chips

LDs, Laser diodes

Main applications of LDs are in the field of telecommunications through optical fibres as light emitters. However, other applications of LDs are :

  • Cutting, surgery.
  • CD writing and reading.
  • Optical data storage.
  • Defense : Radar, laser guided weapons

Lighting, leds.

Leds are used in lighting applications in many fields as :

  • Residential. Buildings
  • Traffic signals, street lights.
  • Outdoor: runway in airports.
  • Digital clocks, electronic indicators.

Solar cells

Photovoltaic (PV) systems

  • Low power applications: Pocket calculators, clocks, indoor & outdoor lighting.
  • Stand-alone PV systems
  • Grid connected PV systems.
  • Aerospace applications.