Light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
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This article discusses the electronic device, particularly its application in lighting. For other usages, refer to LED (disambiguation).
Parts of a conventional LED reveal that the flat bottom surfaces of the anvil and post embedded inside the epoxy serve as anchors, preventing conductors from being forcefully pulled out due to mechanical strain or vibrations.
Close-up of an LED shows the changes in voltage that reveal detailed operations.
A light-emitting diode (LED) refers to a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, generating energy in the form of photons. The light's color, based on photon energy, is determined by the energy necessary for electrons to cross the band gap of the semiconductor. White light is produced by either using multiple semiconductor types or by integrating a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device.
Initially appearing as practical electronic components, the earliest LEDs solely emitted low-intensity infrared (IR) light. Infrared LEDs are frequently utilized in remote-control circuits found in various consumer electronics. The first visible-light LEDs were of limited intensity and primarily available in red.
Early LEDs often served as indicator lamps, supplanting small incandescent bulbs, and in seven-segment displays. Recent advancements have rendered LEDs that produce visible, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared wavelengths with diverse light outputs, such as white LEDs fit for both indoor and outdoor lighting. LEDs have also paved the way for innovative types of displays and sensors, with high switching rates advantageous in advanced communication technologies, applicable in aviation lighting, fairy lights, strip lights, automotive headlamps, advertising, general illumination, traffic signals, camera flashes, lighted wallpaper, horticultural grow lights, and medical devices.
Compared to incandescent light sources, LEDs offer numerous benefits, including reduced power consumption, extended lifespans, enhanced physical durability, compact sizes, and quicker switching times. However, certain disadvantages of LEDs are notable, such as electrical limitations to low voltage and typically DC power, inability to provide stable illumination from either pulsing DC or AC supplies, and comparatively lower maximum operating and storage temperatures.
Acting as transducers of electricity to light, LEDs function oppositely to photodiodes, which convert light to electricity.
History
Discoveries and early devices
Electroluminescence was first identified in 1907 by English experimenter H. J. Round at Marconi Labs, utilizing a silicon carbide crystal. Russian inventor Oleg Losev reported the creation of the first LED shortly thereafter. Despite his findings being publicized in various scientific journals, real-world applications were delayed for several decades due to the inefficient light emitted by silicon carbide.
In 1936, Georges Destriau demonstrated that electroluminescence could be triggered when zinc sulphide powder was suspended in an insulator and an alternating electric field was applied.
In 1962, Robert Biard and Gary Pittman discovered the infrared LED while working at Texas Instruments, although it lacked practical visibility for humans. The first visible red LED was invented in 1962 by Nick Holonyak, Jr. at General Electric, earning him the title of "Father of the Light-Emitting Diode." Advancements continued throughout the '70s, solidifying LED technology's place in mass production.
In 1993, Shuji Nakamura invented the super-bright blue LED using gallium nitride, which subsequently led to the development of the white LED by coating blue-emitting chips with fluorescent phosphors.
With consistent advancement, current technologies render LEDs up to six or seven times more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, utilizing about 80% less energy and offering lifespans 25 times longer. Today, continuous research endeavors aim to refine LED technology and enhance its use in various applications, including horticulture and medical fields.
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