Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

electricity · light · technology

Electrons meet holes. Inside an LED, electrons and special empty spaces called holes crash together. When they collide, they release energy as light in a burst of photons.

Color from energy. The color of light an LED makes depends on the semiconductor material used. Different materials need different amounts of energy for electrons to cross the gap, so they make red, blue, green, or any color you want.

Current powers it. LEDs only work when electricity flows through them. The stronger the current, the brighter the light shines.

White light trick. To make white light, engineers either mix multiple colored semiconductors together or coat the LED with a special glowing powder called phosphor that blends the colors.

Super efficient. LEDs waste very little energy as heat, unlike old light bulbs, which makes them last much longer and use way less power.