15-03-2011, 10:43 AM
Submitted By:
PRAVESH JAIN
PIYUSH JAIN
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• A light-emitting diode (LED) (pronounced /ˌɛl.iːˈdiː/[1], or just /lɛd/) is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices, and are increasingly used for lighting. Introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962,[2] early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, with very high brightness.
• The LED is based on the semiconductor diode. When a diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor. An LED is usually small in area (less than 1 mm2), and integrated optical components are used to shape its radiation pattern and assist in reflection.[3]
• LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size, faster switching, and greater durability and reliance. However, they are relatively expensive and require more precise current and heat management than traditional light sources. Current LED products for general lighting are more expensive to buy than fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output.
They also enjoy use in applications as diverse as replacements for traditional light sources in automotive lighting (particularly indicators) and in traffic signals. The compact size of LEDs has allowed new text and video displays and sensors to be developed, while their high switching rates are useful in advanced communications technology
• I-V diagram for a diode an LED will begin to emit light when the on-voltage is exceeded. Typical on voltages are 2-3 Volt
• Efficiency and operational parameters
• Typical indicator LEDs are designed to operate with no more than 30–60 milliwatts [mW] of electrical power. Around 1999, Philips Lumileds introduced power LEDs capable of continuous use at one watt [W]. These LEDs used much larger semiconductor die sizes to handle the large power inputs. Also, the semiconductor dies were mounted onto metal slugs to allow for heat removal from the LED die.
• One of the key advantages of LED-based lighting is its high efficiency, as measured by its light output per unit power input. White LEDs quickly matched and overtook the efficiency of standard incandescent lighting systems. In 2002, Lumileds made five-watt LEDs available with a luminous efficacy of 18–22 lumens per watt [lm/W]. For comparison, a conventional 60–100 W incandescent lightbulb produces around 15 lm/W, and standard fluorescent lights produce up to 100 lm/W. A recurring problem is that efficiency will fall dramatically for increased current. This effect is known as droop and effectively limits the light output of a given LED, increasing heating more than light output for increased current.
• In September 2003, a new type of blue LED was demonstrated by the company Cree, Inc. to provide 24 mW at 20 milliamperes [mA]. This produced a commercially packaged white light giving 65 lm/W at 20 mA, becoming the brightest white LED commercially available at the time, and more than four times as efficient as standard incandescents. In 2006 they demonstrated a prototype with a record white LED luminous efficacy of 131 lm/W at 20 mA. Also, Seoul Semiconductor has plans for 135 lm/W by 2007 and 145 lm/W by 2008, which would be approaching an order of magnitude improvement over standard incandescents and better even than standard fluorescents.[25] Nichia Corporation has developed a white LED with luminous efficiency of 150 lm/W at a forward current of 20 mA.
• It should be noted that high-power (≥ 1 W) LEDs are necessary for practical general lighting applications. Typical operating currents for these devices begin at 350 mA. The highest efficiency high-power white LED is claimed[27] by Philips Lumileds Lighting Co. with a luminous efficacy of 115 lm/W (350 mA)
• Note that these efficiencies are for the LED chip only, held at low temperature in a lab. In a lighting application, operating at higher temperature and with drive circuit losses, efficiencies are much lower. United States Department of Energy (DOE) testing of commercial LED lamps designed to replace incandescent or CFL lamps showed that average efficacy was still about 31 lm/W in 2008 (tested performance ranged from 4 lm/W to 62 lm/W)[28].
• Cree issued a press release on November 19, 2008 about a laboratory prototype LED achieving 161 lumens/watt at room temperature. The total output was 173 lumens, and the correlated color temperature was reported to be 4689 K.[29][unreliable source?]
White light
• There are two primary ways of producing high intensity white-light using LEDs. One is to use individual LEDs that emit three primary colors[44] – red, green, and blue, and then mix all the colors to produce white light. The other is to use a phosphor material to convert monochromatic light from a blue or UV LED to broad-spectrum white light, much in the same way a fluorescent light bulb works.
• Due to metamerism, it is possible to have quite different spectra which appear white.
• LM317 is the standard part number for an integrated three-terminal adjustable linear voltage regulator. LM317 is a positive voltage regulator supporting input voltage of 3V to 40V and output voltage between 1.25V and 37V. A typical current rating is 1.5A although several lower and higher current models are available. Variable output voltage is achieved by using a potentiometer or a variable voltage from another source to apply a control voltage to the control terminal. LM317 also has a built-in current limiter to prevent the output current from exceeding the rated current, and LM317 will automatically reduce its output current if an overheat condition occurs under load. LM317 is manufactured by many companies, including National Semiconductor, Fairchild Semiconductor, and STMicroelectronics.
• Although LM317 is an adjustable regulator, it is sometimes preferred for high-precision fixed voltage applications instead of the similar LM78xx devices because the LM317 is designed with superior output tolerances. For a fixed voltage application, the control pin will typically be biased with a fixed resistor network, a Zener diode network, or a fixed control voltage from another source. Manufacturer datasheets provide standard configurations for achieving various design applications, including the use of a pass transistor to achieve regulated output currents in excess of what the LM317 alone can provide.
• LM317 is available in a wide range of package forms for different applications including heatsink mounting and surface-mount applications. Common form factors for high-current applications include TO-220 with part number LM317T and TO-3 with part number LM317K. LM317 is capable of dissipating a large amount of heat at medium to high current loads and the use of a heatsink is recommended to maximize the lifespan and power-handling capability.
• LM337 is the negative voltage complement to LM317 and the specifications and function are essentially identical, except that the regulator must receive a control voltage and act on an input voltage that are below the ground reference point instead of above it.
