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How Light Emitting Diodes (LED) Work

The following is an Article about (How Light Emitting Diodes Work).
Are you interested in how light emitting diodes work? It is a question that has been around for years. Ever since 1907 when light emitting diodes were discovered, people have been driven to understand, control and create with LEDs. Over the decades LED technology has advanced to where light emitting diodes are used in thousands of devices and electrical systems that we use each and every day.

While the words Light Emitting Diode sound quite technical, you may be more familiar with the term LED and you may be surprised to find that you use light emitting diodes in your everyday life. LED lights are run at a low temperature, use less energy and last longer than traditional filament or fluorescent light bulbs. As the world advances and continues to seek green living alternatives to help save energy and the planet, more and more devices and systems are going to be integrating LED lighting wherever possible. The small size and flexibility of light emitting diodes makes them an ideal choice for many electronics applications, as well as the many new and sometimes unusual uses of LED light.

For a diode to produce light you need a conductor, power source and an LED chip. Essentially the diode receives electrons (power) through the semiconductor. The electrons fill holes in the chip and become photons which in turn cause the light source to illuminate. Different colors and different levels of brightness are achieved by altering the voltage of the current introduced into the diode.

Each step of the lighting process is detailed and can be confusing to those who aren’t electricians or scientists. But it is important to know that the process occurs instantaneously, providing instant and constant light through the LED as long as power continues to flow. Diodes are used to create light in many electronics as well as electronic fixtures around the home. There are now LED light bulbs available for use in home lamps and light fixtures, the cool and direct LED lighting is more energy efficient and instant when power is introduced. This means no flickering start up like fluorescent lights. Since the diode that creates the light does not use power when the device is off, it will not have any off state power draw.

The many common uses of LEDs have only become everyday occurrences since the 1970’s. Before that, LEDs were known about but were expensive and not as advanced as they are today. In the past 30-odd years the technology and development of light emitting diodes has grown in leaps and bounds to become such a part of our everyday lives that we would be lost without them.

While you are enjoying all the convenience of lighted electronics devices take a few moments to think about what your life would be like without this technology. No cell phone with games or text, no laptop, no iPod, all of these things rely on LEDs for the light and display that you enjoy the convenience of in your everyday life.