Electronic Components

LED

Light-Emitting Diode · 1962

A specialised diode whose PN junction emits photons whenever an electron drops into a hole — wavelength is set by the bandgap of the semiconductor. Shuji Nakamura’s blue InGaN LED in 1993 unlocked white light via phosphor conversion and earned the 2014 Nobel Prize, replacing incandescent and fluorescent lighting almost everywhere on Earth.

Key specifications

First visible LED

1962 · Nick Holonyak (red, GaAsP)

Forward voltage

~1.8 V (red) → ~3.3 V (blue/white)

Efficacy

150 – 220 lm/W (modern white)

Lifetime

25,000 – 50,000 h (L70)

Sheet 006 · Plate 1 of 1 · 1:1 infographic

Click image to enlarge · Esc to close