Puolijohdevalonlähteet

Puolijohdevalonlähteet, commonly known as semiconductor light sources, are devices that emit light when an electric current passes through them. This phenomenon is based on the properties of semiconductor materials, which have electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. The core principle behind their operation is electroluminescence, where the energy released from the recombination of electrons and holes within the semiconductor material is emitted as photons, or light particles.

The most prevalent type of semiconductor light source is the light-emitting diode (LED). LEDs are highly efficient and durable, making them suitable for a wide range of applications from general lighting and displays to indicator lights and optical communication. Another significant type is the semiconductor laser, which produces coherent light through stimulated emission. Semiconductor lasers are crucial in telecommunications, data storage (like in CD and DVD players), and various industrial and medical applications. The color of the light emitted by these sources is determined by the band gap energy of the semiconductor material used. By combining different semiconductor materials or doping them with specific elements, a variety of colors, including infrared and ultraviolet, can be produced. Their compact size, low power consumption, and long lifespan have led to their widespread adoption, largely replacing older lighting technologies.