What is infrared LED
Infrared LED (Infrared Light Emitting Diode) is a semiconductor device that can emit infrared light and is widely used in remote control, security, medical and communications fields. Different from ordinary LEDs, the wavelength of light emitted by infrared LEDs is usually between 700nm and 1mm, which belongs to the invisible light range. This article will introduce in detail the principles, applications and market hot spots of infrared LEDs.
1. Working principle of infrared LED

The working principle of infrared LED is similar to that of ordinary LED. They release energy through the recombination of electrons and holes in semiconductor materials to produce light. The difference is that the material and structural design of infrared LEDs enable them to emit infrared light. Common infrared LED materials include gallium arsenide (GaAs) and aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs).
| Material | Wavelength range (nm) | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|
| GaAs | 850-940 | Remote control, security camera |
| AlGaAs | 700-850 | Medical equipment, communications |
2. Application fields of infrared LED
Infrared LEDs are widely used in the following fields due to their invisibility and high penetration:
| Application areas | Specific use |
|---|---|
| remote control | Remote control signal transmission for TVs, air conditioners and other home appliances |
| Security monitoring | Night monitoring, face recognition |
| medical equipment | Blood oxygen detection, infrared physiotherapy |
| communication | Infrared data transmission (such as the infrared function of old mobile phones) |
3. Hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days and hot spots related to infrared LEDs
Through a data search of the entire network in the past 10 days, we found the following hot content related to infrared LEDs:
| hot topics | heat index | Main discussion content |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared LED technology in smart homes | ★★★★★ | How to realize the interconnection of home appliances through infrared LEDs |
| Night imaging technology for security cameras | ★★★★☆ | Application of infrared LED in night monitoring |
| New breakthrough in medical infrared LED | ★★★☆☆ | Innovation of infrared LED in non-invasive detection |
4. Market Prospects of Infrared LEDs
With the rapid development of smart home, security and medical industries, the market demand for infrared LEDs continues to grow. According to market research data, the global infrared LED market size will exceed US$2 billion in 2023, and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 8% in the next five years.
| Year | Market size (billion US dollars) | growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 20.5 | 7.5% |
| 2024 (forecast) | 22.1 | 8.0% |
| 2025 (forecast) | 23.9 | 8.2% |
5. How to choose infrared LED
When selecting an infrared LED, consider the following key parameters:
| parameters | Description |
|---|---|
| Wavelength | Choose the appropriate wavelength according to application requirements (e.g. 850nm is suitable for security) |
| Luminous intensity | The unit is mW/sr. The higher the intensity, the farther the irradiation distance. |
| perspective | The wider the viewing angle, the wider the coverage |
As an important optoelectronic component, infrared LED has broad prospects for technological development and market application. In the future, with the popularization of 5G, Internet of Things and other technologies, infrared LEDs will play an important role in more fields.
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