Solid-state lighting

Solid-state lighting (SSL) is a type of lighting that uses semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma (used in arc lamps such as fluorescent lamps), or gas.

Solid state electroluminescence is used in SSL, as opposed to incandescent bulbs (which use thermal radiation) or fluorescent tubes.

The typically small mass of a solid-state electronic lighting device provides for greater resistance to shock and vibration compared to brittle glass tubes/bulbs and long, thin filament wires.

They also eliminate filament evaporation, potentially increasing the life span of the illumination device.

[1] Controlling the light emission of LEDs may be done most effectively by using the principles of nonimaging optics.

An assortment of LED lamps commercially available as of 2010 as replacements for screw-in bulbs, including floodlight fixtures (left), reading light (center), household lamps (center right and bottom), and low-power accent light (right) applications