Light-emitting diode

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source.LEDsFZT751TA

 are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting. Introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962,early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light,D784031GC

 but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, with very high brightness.When a light-emitting diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine withAD811AN

 electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor.PC3Q64Q

 An LED is often small in area (less than 1 mm2), and integrated optical components may be used to shape its radiation pattern.LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness,BT139

 smaller size, faster switching, and greater durability and reliability. LEDs powerful enough for room lighting are relatively expensive and require more precise current and heat management than compact fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output.