What are the Micro LED lights on the Starry String Lights

A micro LED light, as the ones that the Starry Lights have on their copper wire strings, is light generated by the use of a light emitting diode (LED). A light emitting diode is a two lead semi-conductor light source that looks like a common p-n junction and produces light through the action of the semiconductor and electroluminescence. In other words it acts exactly like a tiny bulb only that it does not contain a filament that burns out. These LED light up through the sole movement of electrons.

How do LED lights work

The semi conductor that makes up the diode is made up of a poor electron conductor that has had impurities added to it, a process called doping. In doping, atoms of another material are added to that of the main material. In the case of LEDs, The conductor is normally alluminium- gallium- arsenide.

In its pure state, this material has all of the atoms bonding perfectly with their neighbours leaving no free electrons to conduct electric current. Through doping then, additional electrons are added creating a net negatively charged material or holes are created resulting in a net positively charged material. Through this alterations, the material is then made more able to carry out current and electron conduction.

A semi conductor with extra electrons is called N- type semi conductor since it has extra negatively charged particles. The one with extra holes is called a P- type semi conductor as it has more positively charged particles. A diode thus consist of an N- type material attached to a P- type material. This bonding ensures that electricity is only conducted in one direction. When no voltage is applied, electrons from the N- type materials occupies holes of the P- type material resulting in the creation of a depletion zone. These depletion zone is a region of no conductivity. No current or charge flows through it.

When the N- type side is connected to the negative end of a circuit and the P – type side is connected to the positive side of the circuit, current and charge then flows as the depletion layer will have been removed. This happens because the free electrons in the N- type material are repelled by the negative electrode while the holes move the opposite way as a result of the high voltage difference between the electrodes.

The movement of holes and electrons is what inevitably brings about the light. Light is an energy form that is made up of packet like particles called photons. Photons can be released as a result of movement of electrons. Electrons move in orbitals around the nucleus of an atom with the electrons having the highest energy level moving furthest from the nucleus. When an electron moves from a higher orbital to a lower orbital, energy is released in the form of a photon. If there occurs a great energy drop, more energy in the form of a photon is released.

This energy drop happens to all diodes but it can only be noticed to the naked eye when the diode is made of certain materials. For visibility of these light, the gap between the conduction band and the lower orbital must be huge as in the case of micro LED light. The magnitude of these gap determines the frequency of these light emitted and the frequency will determine the color of light emitted. LEDs find various uses today such as in electronics, street signs, streets lighting and lighting of boards, etc.

Why the Starry Lights’ Micro LEDs save Energy

Micro LEDs (as in the starry string lights) are specifically constructed to release enormous quantities of photons outwards. Therefore for little current flowing through a circuit (many operate on between 30- 60 milliwatts) and onto the LEDs, there will still be sufficient energy to power them. They are also housed in plastic casings that actually ensures light is concentrated in a determined direction.

Therefore if it was being used to light a street, light will not be scattered but it will target the specified area. LEDS also do not have filaments that burn off. The lack of filaments ensures that energy that will have been used to warm it will be saved and not wasted. Micro LEDs also give off almost no heat ensuring that energy that would have been lost through heating and warming of the filament is not wasted.

Advantages of Micro LED light

• -Durability- LEDs do not have a filament that burns out. This ensures that it therefore lasts considerably longer than the incandescent bulbs that have to be replaced when their filaments burn out. Most LEDs can actually have a life time expectancy of about 100, 000 hours. This is approximately 11 years of continuous operation.
• -Shockproof- LEDs are shockproof unlike the bulbs and other incandescent light sources. They are normally built with hardy components that can withstand even the roughest conditions.
• -Efficiency- It is a very energy efficient source of light especially for short areas and limited distances. In light production through the use of incandescent bulbs, the process normally involves generation of a lot of heat that goes to warm the filament. In LEDs, a much higher portion of the electrical power used actually goes into production of the light and this cuts considerably the electric power demands.
• -LEDs also do output more lumens of light per watt than the regular incandescent light sources.
• -LEDs are environmentally friendly. LEDs are free of toxic chemicals unlike the incandescent bulbs that may actually contain chemicals like mercury.
• -LEDs also have no Ultra- violet light emissions. The fact that it produces little to no infrared emission means that it can be used in goods and materials that are sensitive to heat due to the benefit of little radiated emissions. Another application would be the illumination of ultra- violet light sensitive artifacts in art galleries, museums and unique sites.
• -LEDs can also be used in all weather conditions. LEDs can operate in cold and low outdoor temperatures. Incandescent lamps may be affected by low temperatures but LEDS can function well even in freezer rooms and winter settings.
• -On-off time- LEDs typically take a microsecond to light up and achieve full brightness. Some LEDs have even faster response times.

The conclusion of this technical story, is that this is one of the reasons why it is such a good investment to buy Micro Led Lights on wires, like the Starry Lights for your decoration purposes. They are not only extremely beautiful, but they also save a lot of energy and money.