Sunday, 23 December 2012

The Emergence Of The LED Light Panel

By Brandi Little


In the recent past, lighting challenges have been sufficiently handled by the use of light emitting diodes instead of incandescent bulbs. LED light panels can be fitted to produce the same amount of light energy like a fluorescent bulb but with lesser power consumption. The diodes are merely semiconductor materials taken through specialized manufacturing processes to impart some special capabilities.

Their most widespread use is as indicator lights in various industrial equipment. A typical piece is enclosed in an epoxy case within which is enclosed a reflective band around the semiconductor die. Though initially manufactured to give off red light, it was not long before researchers came up with other colors and achieved an overall increase in the brightness.

Commercial production of these devices was later done using gallium arsenide phosphide. With the passage of time, planar manufacturing processes were discovered and combined with innovative packaging to drastically lower the cost per unit. Today, many variants of the originals have been created to suit different operating conditions such as power and harsh environments.

Electroluminescence is achieved by the collision of electrons and holes in the semiconductor junction. The combination of an electron and a hole is associated with the emission of photons. The structural dimensions have a big impact on the performance of the finished product with the band gap determining the color given off. Manufacturers are always seeking means of reducing refraction at the surface due to high refractive indices of materials used.

The process of packaging comes during the last stages in the production cycle. Plastic casings are very common due to wide availability of the material and the ease of manipulation. Besides protecting the inner elements, the unit becomes much easier to handle in an assembly line. Another aspect is their role in offsetting refractive indices of other raw materials to improve illumination quality.

A typical LED has an ability to serve for over 25,000 hours if operated as per the supplier recommendations. A major challenge in their use is getting obscured during snowfall since they generate minimal heat. It is common to have outdoor panels fitted with an extra heating circuit to automatically thaw away any settled snow.

A variety of colors can be produced by a unit comprising of red, greed and yellow lights with beams concentrated at a point. Through a specialized control circuit, the wavelengths of the primary sources can be varied by differing degrees to play around with the final color. This arrangement may be costly, so an alternative way is the use of a colored phosphor coat.

With inclusion of multi-vibrator circuits, flashing LEDs popular for advertising can be quickly fashioned. In bicolor panels, flow of current in one direction gives a variation in color from flow in the opposite direction. Alphanumeric displays are slowly being edged out by liquid crystal displays which are associated with more operation flexibility.

Some of the shortcomings experienced in the usage of LED light panels include the need for resistor banks to regulate power delivered. Some users have also complained of the color altering effect as compared to light from fluorescent tubes. Nevertheless, their use is expanding fast, with the automotive and airports fixtures the most obvious.




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