LED Lights

LED is an acronym that stands for “light-emitting diode.” An LED is a type of semiconductor that generates light when an electrical current passes through it. Like any diode, an LED is composed of silicon or an equivalent semiconducting material that has had impurities added to create a p-n junction–that is, a conductor that allows electrons to flow through it in only one direction.

Although LEDs could be described as light bulbs, the technology is quite different from incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs produce their light by heating up a metal filament, whereas LEDs generate light solely through the movement of electrons. Unlike incandescent lights, LEDs produce almost no heat and consume very little energy. They are durable, long-lasting, and respond quickly. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a high-power white LED has an estimated lifetime of up to 50,000 hours. Even the estimated life of fluorescent tubes (which are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs) is only 30,000 hours.

The technology behind LEDs was discovered as far back as 1907. The first LED was created in 1927 by a Russian inventor, Oleg Vladimirovich Losev; however, while it was of scientific interest, no one recognized the practical benefits of his invention at the time. LEDs wouldn’t be used commercially until after Nick Holonyak Jr. developed the first visible LED in 1962. Today, Holonyak is known as “the father of the light-emitting diode.”

LEDs were first used as indicator lights for laboratory equipment. As technology advanced and producing LEDs became cheaper, they were used in common electronic household items such as television sets, remote controls, and watches. At first, LEDs could only emit red light. As technology improved, other colors became available. This enhancement made them ideally suited for use in traffic signals and Christmas lights.

More recently, LED technology has been developed to the point where they can now be used to illuminate large areas. Even now, LED light bulbs for indoor and outdoor use are being sold by companies such as Westinghouse, C. Crane, and Sylvania. Although their low energy consumption and long life makes them attractive to consumers, they still don’t emit as much light as incandescent or even fluorescent bulbs. They are also much more sensitive to high temperatures: Being exposed to too much heat can cut an LED bulb’s lifespan short. However, the more LED technology improves, the more it will become a welcome alternative to incandescent lighting.