LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE

(LED) in electronics, a semiconductor diode that emits infrared or visible light (electroluminescence) when charged with an electric current. Visible LEDs are used in many electronic devices as indicator lamps and, when arranged in a matrix, as alphanumeric displays. Infrared LEDs are applied in optoelectronics, such as in autofocus cameras and television remote controls, and as light sources in some long-range optical-fibre communication systems. LEDs are formed by the so-called III-V compound semiconductors related to gallium arsenide. Compared to a laser diode, an LED also consumes little power but has a simpler configuration and wider bandwidth.