Technology Today: The LED Light Bulb

An LED light bulb uses light-emitting diodes (LED's) to produce light extremely efficiently with no heat expelled. Although individual LED's do not emit a lot of light on their own, developers have found ways to combine multiple diodes together to produce a bright light similar to that produced by other forms of lighting. As the technology of LED's has improved, it has become possible to replace incandescent light bulbs with a new LED light bulb and achieve a similar hue and brightness.
The diodes inside an LED light bulb use direct current electrical power, also known as DC electricity to produce energy in the form of light. An LED light bulb is very long lasting uses very little energy, but the upfront cost is significantly more than incandescent and CFL lighting. However, if one considers light bulb replacement cost, it becomes clear that if an LED light bulb lasts as long as the manufacturers claim, there will be significant cost savings over a lifetime.
There are a variety of LED light bulb designs available to the consumer which include floodlights, reading lights, household lamps, recessed ceiling lamps, and track lighting. All of these are designed with a base that fits into the same light fixtures as their incandescent and fluorescent equivalents.
For all-purpose lighting, a bright or soft white LED light bulb produces the best visual results. Because LED's emit small wavelengths of colored light, it takes a special mixture of red, green and blue LED light to emit white light. This method uses different colored LED chips combined to form a spectrum of broad white light. This method is expensive but has the advantage of being adjustable to different hues within the white spectrum.
The other method for producing white light with LED's is to use phosphor. Combining the LED light with phosphor absorbs a portion of the blue light, leaving a white spectrum. Though less expensive, this method has the disadvantage of being less energy efficient and less customizable. The low cost makes it the choice of many LED light bulb manufacturers today, which is why there is an energy difference between different LED lighting options.
As the technology for the first method becomes less expensive, more manufacturers will use this method to produce an LED light bulb that is even more efficient than many available on the market today. As LED technology continues to improve, we will see more and more lighting applications that use an LED light bulb instead of an incandescent light bulb
In some applications, colored light is desired, such as on stage or in film production. This is an ideal use for a colored LED light bulb, and there is no need for filters to change the hue of the light. Imagine the labor cost savings of putting an LED lamp on the ceiling of a theater and not having to replace it for up to 50 years! It is clear that this would be a huge advantage for many applications in various industries.
As the LED light bulb continues to be improved by technology and innovation, more LED's will likely be used for general purpose lighting and for special applications. One thing is clear - you will definitely see a lot more LED's over the next few decades.