Mar 12 2010
How Do Light-Emitting Diodes Produce Light?
Light-emitting diodes are inexpensive and cheap to produce. They emit a bright light that, at the same time, doesn’t get as hot as incandescent lights do. So how is it that these diodes produce light?
To break it down initially, light is merely a form of energy that is released by an atom. The energy is made up of small packets that contain energy and momentum, but no mass. They are commonly referred to as photons and are the basic units of light.
The photons are freed by moving electrons. On the molecular level, electrons move in different orbitals (s,p,d). These electrons that move in different orbitals all contain differing mounts of energy. Electrons that are further away from the nucleus contain more energy. When an electron drops an orbital, it must release energy. It is this energy that is released in the form of a photon (light).
LEDs have the advantage of not having the inside filament burn out, as incandescent lights do. Therefore, their lifespan is much longer. Their small plastic case provides good protection and much more durable. Their small size enables them to fit more easily into modern circuits. However, the biggest advantage would have to lie in the fact that they are very efficient. Older lights would have to heat up the filament, which is a lot of wasted energy. A large portion of the energy is being wasted on heat, and not on the light itself. In comparison, LEDs don’t generate nearly as much heat, and most of the energy goes towards producing light.
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