Why LED is Gaining Popularity over Halogen Light Source?


Halogen has been used as the light source for decades and is chosen as the source of illumination for varieties of imaging modalities. But now LEDs is gaining popularity in the marketplace and increasingly becoming a preferred choice for a light source in various optical instruments due to its many advantages.

Before comparing the characteristics of both light source, have a look on the how halogen and LED lamps produces light.

Halogen Lights

Halogen light source is similar to incandescent bulbs. It consists of tungsten filament surrounded by quartz envelope filled with an inert gas that makes it preferable for the use in a microscope for bright field and phase contrast microscope. With the supply of electricity, tungsten begins to glow just as within the incandescent bulb. As tungsten glows it begins to evaporate, giving off tungsten atoms. This lowers the brightness of the lamp with time. The gas present inside the lamp reacts with the tungsten vapors and recoats its filament thus increasing its life.

LED

LED or Light Emitting Diode is the most used and affordable light source available today. It is made up of a solid material called a semiconductor. This material is enclosed in glass or a transparent plastic. On the pass of electricity, the electrons in the semiconductor begin to move and produce electricity.

Comparison of LED bulbs with the halogen light source

LED bulbs are superior to the halogen bulbs in a number of factors:

Color: LED is available in a number of colors while halogen bulbs are available only in white color. So LED is a better choice when different types of color are required for illumination.
Heat Production: Halogen lamps produce more heat while LED produces very little heat and do not increase the temperature of the surroundings.

Consumption of Energy: A large amount of electricity is used to produce light in halogen lamps; on the other hand, LED uses the fraction of energy and hence are better source of light for the environment as well.

Long Life: The life of one LED bulb is equal to 10 to 20 halogen lamps. Thus you can save a lot of money and it also requires less maintenance.

Durability: Since LED use a semiconductor, therefore, they are more durable than the halogen light source that is made of quartz and glass. As LED are made of little or no glass therefore it do not break if dropped.

Although halogen is used as the light source for decades but LED has acquired the top position due to many benefits.  


Location: Australia

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