Everything Everywhere Daily LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes (Encore)
Jul 5, 2025
Discover the transformative journey of artificial lighting from inefficient incandescent bulbs to revolutionary LEDs. Learn how the development of blue LEDs in the 1990s sparked a lighting revolution. Explore the significant advantages of LEDs, including their dramatic price drops and energy efficiency. Delve into the exciting future of micro-LED technology, which boasts superior picture quality and innovative applications. Get ready to be enlightened on how modern illumination has reshaped our living spaces!
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Inefficiency of Incandescent Bulbs
- Incandescent bulbs produce mostly heat, not visible light, making them inefficient.
- Only about 5-10% of the electricity is converted to useful light.
How LEDs Produce Light
- LEDs emit light via electroluminescence by letting electrons cross semiconductor regions.
- This creates photons, directly converting electrical energy to light efficiently.
Early Red LEDs and Uses
- Early LEDs emitted only dim red light due to easier low-energy photon production.
- They were ideal for indicator lights because of low power, cost, and reliability.