Light-emitting diode displays (LED)

Light emitting diode displays, or LED displays, are a type of lighting technology which has been around since the 1960's, and are regarded as effective and reliable ways to provide lighting. Although the initial LED displays emitted only a low-intensity red light, more recent innovations have allowed LED lights to be produced at high intensities, as well as all across the electromagnetic spectrum, including all visible colors, infrared, and even ultraviolet ranges.

LED lights differ from typical incandescent bulbs in that they involve a direct electrical current to a semiconductor diode, which only allows electricity to flow in one direction. Electrons then recombine with holes in the diode device which subsequently create photons that are released as light. Depending on how large the gap is in the semiconductor, the color of the LED can be varied. Semiconductors for LED displays are constructed using alloys of relatively rare metals, commonly gallium arsenide phosphide, which means that LEDs are often somewhat expensive to manufacture. By using other types of alloys, LED displays in the infrared and ultraviolet spectra can be produced.

Initial LED lights could mostly only be used as indicator lights for electronic equipment and household items such as televisions, clocks, and telephones, due to their weak output of light and the fact that they were only made in the color red. Consumers today can still find these relatively inexpensive LED displays, which may be desirable over more expensive types if one wishes to have limited applications for the equipment they are using the LED lights for; for example, if one simply wishes to use the LED as an on/off indicator for a device they are building. If a consumer is looking to provide illumination for an area, or from a compact device, they may want to look into high-intensity white-light LED displays, which are a more recent innovation. However, these tend to be among the more expensive LEDs available, since the alloys and ventilation of the lights are a bit different than other types of LED displays. Finally, consumers should investigate the heat dissipation ability of their LED systems before making a purchase, since high-intensity LEDs will require a better capacity for shedding their greater heat output.

Light-emitting diode displays have a reputation as a space-efficient, energy-saving means of providing displays and illumination, and future technology will focus on lowering production costs and increasing the efficiency of these devices.