LEDs, Other Optoelectronic Components Merging for Emerging Applications

Advances in on-chip integration, materials and fabrication methods enable smaller, faster components for next-generation applications. The market for optoelectronic (OE) components – parts that make up other parts and connect between subsystems and systems – is dominated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which hold 79 percent of the market. Most of those LEDs are in lighting and backlights, according to the Optoelectronic Components – World – 2013 report by IHS Technologies of Englewood, Colo. The rest of this market consists of optocouplers, photodiodes and transistors, light emitters, detectors and sensors, optical switches and so on. Many of these components have a recognizable “window” or lens that passes light.