LED

In short: An LED (light emitting diode) is a semiconductor component that emits light when current flows in the forward direction.

In more detail: The first red LED dates from 1962 (Nick Holonyak). The blue LED, which made white light possible, was developed in the 1990s (Nobel Prize 2014).

In Depth

Properties

Efficient, long-lived, small, quickly switchable. LEDs need a series resistor or a constant-current source.

Use

Lighting, status indicators, backlighting of LCD displays, RGB lighting effects in the PC. Unlike OLED, the single LED is not a pixel but a light source.

See also: OLED, Monitor, Television