Kwiminyaka engamashumi amahlanu edlulileyo, abantu sele beqonda ulwazi olusisiseko lokuba izinto ze-semiconductor zinokuvelisa ukukhanya, kwaye i-diode yokuqala ekhoyo yorhwebo yaveliswa ngo-1960. I-LED sisishunqulelo se-Light Emitting Diode. Isakhiwo sayo esisisiseko siquka i-electroluminescent semiconductor material ebekwe kwisakhelo esikhokelayo, emva koko itywinwe nge-epoxy resin ukukhusela iingcingo ezingundoqo zangaphakathi, inika ii-LEDs ukuxhathisa ukothuka.
Undoqo wesibane{0}}esikhuphayo diode yitshiphu eyenziwe nge p-udidi kunye no-uhlobo lwesemiconductors. Phakathi kohlobo lwe-kunye nohlobo lwe-n{5}}i-semiconductors ngumaleko wenguqu obizwa ngokuba yi-ap{6}}n junction. Kwi-PN ye-junction yezinto ezithile ze-semiconductor, xa abathwali abancinci be-injected badibanisa kunye nabathwali abaninzi, amandla angaphezulu akhululwa ngendlela yokukhanya, ngaloo ndlela ukuguqula ngokuthe ngqo amandla ombane kumandla okukhanya. Xa i-voltage ye-reverse isetyenziswe kwi-PN junction, abathwali abambalwa kunzima ukujova, ngoko akukho kukhanya kukhishwa.
Olu hlobo lwe-diode, olwenziwe ngomgaqo wenaliti ye-electroluminescence, lubizwa ngokuba yi-light{0}}emitting diode, eyaziwa njenge-LED. Xa ikwimeko yokusebenza yangaphambili (oko kukuthi, i-voltage yangaphambili isetyenziswa kwii-terminals zayo), njengoko ikhoyo ngoku iphuma kwi-anode ye-LED ukuya kwi-cathode, i-crystal ye-semiconductor ikhupha ukukhanya kwemibala eyahlukeneyo ukusuka kwi-ultraviolet ukuya kwi-infrared, kunye nokuqina kokukhanya kuhambelana nokukhoyo.
