Zaka 50 zapitazo, anthu anamvetsa kale chidziŵitso choyambirira chakuti zipangizo za semiconductor zimatha kutulutsa kuwala, ndipo diode yoyamba yogulitsidwa inapangidwa mu 1960. LED ndi chidule cha Light Emitting Diode. Mapangidwe ake oyambira amakhala ndi zida za electroluminescent semiconductor zomwe zimayikidwa pa chimango chotsogolera, kenako chosindikizidwa ndi epoxy resin kuteteza mawaya amkati, zomwe zimapatsa ma LED kukana kugwedezeka.
Pakati pa kuwala-emitting diode ndi chip chopangidwa ndi p-type ndi n-type semiconductors. Pakati pa p-type ndi n-type semiconductors pali transiction layer yotchedwa ap-n junction. M'magulu a PN a zida zina za semiconductor, pamene zonyamulira zazing'ono zojambulidwa zimaphatikizananso ndi zonyamulira zambiri, mphamvu yowonjezereka imatulutsidwa ngati kuwala, motero kutembenuza mwachindunji mphamvu yamagetsi kukhala mphamvu yowunikira. Pamene voteji yam'mbuyo ikugwiritsidwa ntchito pamagulu a PN, zonyamulira zochepa zimakhala zovuta kubaya, kotero palibe kuwala komwe kumatulutsa.
Diode yamtunduwu, yopangidwa pogwiritsa ntchito jekeseni wa electroluminescence, imatchedwa kuwala-emitting diode, yomwe imadziwika kuti LED. Ikakhala kutsogolo (ie, voliyumu yakutsogolo imayikidwa pazigawo zake), monga momwe zikuyendera pakalipano kuchokera ku anode ya LED kupita ku cathode, semiconductor crystal imatulutsa kuwala kwamitundu yosiyanasiyana kuchokera ku ultraviolet kupita ku infrared, ndipo kulimba kwa kuwala kumagwirizana ndi komweku.
