We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Electronics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Light-Emitting Diode?

By Alan Rankin
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 12,403
Share

A light-emitting diode (LED) is an efficient electrical means of creating light. Using a semiconductor circuit called a diode, an LED produces light in a variety of colors, depending on the materials used in its manufacture. LEDs are more compact, reliable, and longer lasting than traditional light bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. First used in the 1970s, LEDs became increasingly popular and ubiquitous in the 21st century. The light-emitting diode may eventually replace the light bulb as developing technology makes it cheaper and more efficient.

LEDs work on the property called electroluminescence, in which some materials generate light when charged with an electric current. The effect was first documented in 1907, and LED technology was pioneered by the Russian scientist Oleg Losev two decades later. The high cost of materials meant that practical applications for the light-emitting diode were not developed until the 1960s. By the 1970s, the small red lights were used in small devices such as watches and calculators and as power indicators for larger appliances. Advances in semiconductor technology gave LEDs wider variety and applications at the dawn of the 21st century.

A diode is a circuit that controls the flow of electricity using a semiconducting material such as silicon. A light-emitting diode uses this property to manipulate electrons into creating light. This process is more energy efficient than standard light bulbs, meaning little electricity is wasted, and the diode can last far longer than a bulb. The first LEDs had a limited color range, chiefly red, blue, and yellow. Advances in technology have increased the brightness of LEDs and given them colors across the spectrum.

LED lights are more expensive to produce than incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs, but their long lives make them ideal for locations where replacing bulbs is difficult. They are often used as internal and external lighting for cars, boats, and aircraft. Many traffic signals, street lights, and signs also employ some form of a light-emitting diode array. LEDs provide backlight to illuminate the screens of laptops, phones, and mobile devices. By the early 2010s, they had taken on a wide range of decorative and practical lighting uses.

The light-emitting diode does have some disadvantages. At high power levels, it has been prone to losing efficiency, a property electrical engineers call droop. It can be sensitive to changes in temperature, voltage, and current level. Creation of white LED lights was delayed for many years because of the limitations of the LED spectrum, a property of the semiconductor materials. As these limitations are overcome by advancing technology, LED technology is expected to become increasingly widespread around the world.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By Smokey1 — On Nov 02, 2012

Can anyone out there compare LED Fluorescent Lighting vs. Electronic Fluorescent Lighting, and discuss the pros and cons?

Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-light-emitting-diode.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.