History and Physics of Illumination
- Course Number: E1018
- Credits: 2 hours
- Instructor: Ellen Huang, PE
- Price: $20
Course Outline
This course explores the engineering evolution of artificial lighting, tracing the technological trajectory from chemical combustion and thermal radiation to the quantum mechanical revolution of solid-state lighting. We will examine the thermodynamic limitations of early sources—such as candles, kerosene, and tungsten filaments—and contrast them with the physics of electroluminescence. A significant portion of the course focuses on the material science challenges of the "Blue Gap," detailing how researchers overcame crystal lattice mismatches and doping failures in Gallium Nitride (GaN) to invent the blue LED, the keystone for modern energy-efficient white illumination.
At the end of this course, there will be a multiple-choice, open-book quiz, which is designed to enhance your understanding of the course material.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Be able to describe the history and evolution of artificial lighting;
- Be able to be able to contrast the operating principles and energy efficiency of incandescent, gas discharge, and solid-state light sources;
- Be able to to explain the semiconductor physics of LEDs, including the role of p-n junctions and how band gaps determine emission color; and
- Be able to identify the major EUV engineering challenges and the innovations that made high-volume manufacturing possible.
Course Content
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