LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are semiconductor devices designed to convert electrical energy into illumination or light. They are like tiny lightbulbs that require minimum power to illuminate. They are more beneficial than conventional lightbulbs and don’t get hot. Furthermore, they are more energy efficient, which makes them perfect for low-power applications such as mobile devices and other applications. In addition, they are available in varying light intensities. For instance, high-intensity light emitting diodes are widely used in accent lighting, automotive headlights, and spotlights.
Types of Light Emitting Diodes
Light emitting diodes can be broadly classified into two broad categories: visible and invisible light emitting diodes.
Visible LEDs
Visible light emitting diodes are light emitting devices that generate visible illumination when charged with an electrical current without photo sensors. They are typically found in electronic devices.
Invisible LEDs
They are ideal for applications such as optical switches, optical communications, analysis, etc., using photo sensors.
There are also other types of light emitting diodes available that include:
Chip on Board (COB) LEDs
They are the latest developed LED technology chips capable of holding various LED chip packs in a single chip. COB LED chips are the brightest that pack nine or more diode with increased light efficiency. They are widely used in different types of lighting; however, they lack the ability to emit different electric colour ranges.
Surface Mount Diode (SMD) Packages
These soldered and surface-mounted diodes are the most commonly found types of LED chips. They are more versatile and smaller when encased within different types of lighting or smaller electronics like strip lighting. They can create a wide range of colors by packing multiple diodes on a single SMD chip.
Materials for Light Emitting Diodes
The Light Emitting Diodes are constructed from compound semiconductor materials like Silicon Carbide, Gallium Arsenide, Gallium Arsenide Phosphide, and Gallium. Indium Nitrides are all mixed in different ratios to create a unique and distinctive colour wavelength.
Advantages of Light Emitting Diodes
Light emitting diodes demonstrate several advantages, including:
- Long lifetime
- Small Chip size
- Reduced cost
- Flexibility in design
- High energy efficiency
- Low temperature
- Colour variations
- Eco-friendly
- Abrasion resistance, damage resistance
- Less radiated heat
- High luminous intensity
- Thermal shock and vibration resistant
- Devoid of UV Rays
- High switching speed
- Direction-oriented lights
Applications of LEDs
Light emitting diodes are primarily used for two purposes: illumination and indication. However, they are also widely found in:
- Traffic light indicators for signs and signals
- Medical applications
- Motor vehicles and bicycle lights
- Data displaying boards
- Toys
- Decorative applications
- Nonvisual applications
- Light bulbs
- Electronic equipment
- Automotive
- Posters
- Remote controls, and
- Everyday products (like digital watches, calculators, and smart devices).
