The proper spelling of the term "excitonic transition" features a combination of phonemically complex sounds. To break it down in IPA, "ex-ci-ton-ic" is represented as [ɛksɪtɑnɪk]. The first syllable "ex" is pronounced with a short "ɛ" sound. "Ci" is the phoneme represented by "c" and "i" together, which in IPA is [sɪ], followed by "ton" pronounced [tɑn], and the final syllable "ic" pronounced [ɪk]. "Excitonic transition" refers to a process where electrons absorb and emit light energy in semiconductors or other materials.
Excitonic transition refers to a process in which an exciton, a bound state of an electron and a hole, undergoes a change in its energy level by absorbing or emitting a photon. In solid-state physics and semiconductor materials, an exciton is formed when an electron is excited from the valence band to the conduction band, leaving behind a positively charged hole in the valence band. This electron-hole pair can then interact and bind together, forming the exciton.
During an excitonic transition, external energy, typically in the form of a photon, is absorbed or emitted by the exciton. When absorbing a photon, the excitonic system gains energy and the electron is promoted to a higher energy state, while emitting a photon leads to a loss of energy as the electron drops to a lower energy state. This transition is dependent on the energy difference between the initial and final states of the exciton.
Excitonic transitions play a significant role in various physical phenomena and applications, particularly in the field of optoelectronics. Understanding excitonic transitions is crucial in the development of devices such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and photodetectors. By controlling and manipulating excitons, researchers can tune the absorption and emission spectra, leading to improved efficiency and performance of these devices. Excitonic transitions also contribute to the optical properties of materials, influencing their absorption, reflection, and transmission of light.
The term "excitonic transition" has its etymology rooted in both physics and the Greek language.
The word "exciton" originated from the field of condensed matter physics, specifically from the study of electronic excitations in solid-state systems. It was first introduced by the physicist Yakov Frenkel in 1931, who derived the term from the word "excitation". An exciton refers to a bound state of an electron and an electron hole, which are generated when an electron in a material absorbs a photon.
The term "transition" comes from the Latin word "transitio" meaning a change or passage. In physics, it is commonly used to describe a change in the internal state of a system. In the context of excitonic transitions, it signifies the process where an exciton moves from one energy level to another by emitting or absorbing a photon.