A Light Emitting Diode is an electronic semiconductor component which can emit light when applied with an electric current. The wavelength of light is determined by the semiconductor material used.
LEDs are small, efficient and durable.
Taking up a minimum of space they do not radiate UV nor infrared light. This makes them the ideal lighting for light-sensitive objects made of textiles, or paintings. Especially considering that LEDs can be made to render any colour. Their energy consumption is many times lower than conventional light bulbs or even halogen lamps. They are robust and last for around 50,000 hours before their luminosity is noticeably reduced. This reduces the necessary maintenance of lights to a minimum.
High quality LEDs such as those exclusively used by prebit, offer a wide spectrum of light: From colour-neutral day light to a colourful decorative light, from soft work light which is easy on the eyes to warm relaxing light. Furthermore, LEDs can be dimmed without any change in colour.
Coloured LEDs are particularly easy to manufacture. In order to produce white light, somewhat more know-how is required. Either one uses RGB diodes, i.e. red, green and blue, to produce a white light from these primary colours, as is the case inside any CRT colour television set. The result is convincing, if not perfect. The advantage of RGB diodes is that, correctly controlled - as in a TV - any colour can be produced.
An improved white light is produced by LEDs equipped with an emitting or fluorescent dye. The luminescent film changes the monochromatic light into long wave light, similar to a fluorescent tube. Such LEDs have the best colour rendering properties (colour rendering index).
Even the best LEDs have a certain disadvantage: During production slight colour deviations are unavoidable; these are only visible when directly compared. For this reason manufacturers have to indicate in which colour ranges their products emit light. This division into finely differentiated classes is called ‚binning’. The human eye is not able to differentiate the colour of carefully manufactured and selected LEDs.