| Type | Colour | IF max. |
VF typ. |
VF max. |
VR max. |
Luminous intensity |
Viewing angle |
Wavelength |
| Standard | Red | 30mA | 1.7V | 2.1V | 5V | 5mcd @ 10mA | 60° | 660nm |
| Standard | Bright red | 30mA | 2.0V | 2.5V | 5V | 80mcd @ 10mA | 60° | 625nm |
| Standard | Yellow | 30mA | 2.1V | 2.5V | 5V | 32mcd @ 10mA | 60° | 590nm |
| Standard | Green | 25mA | 2.2V | 2.5V | 5V | 32mcd @ 10mA | 60° | 565nm |
| High intensity | Blue | 30mA | 4.5V | 5.5V | 5V | 60mcd @ 20mA | 50° | 430nm |
| Super bright | Red | 30mA | 1.85V | 2.5V | 5V | 500mcd @ 20mA | 60° | 660nm |
| Low current | Red | 30mA | 1.7V | 2.0V | 5V | 5mcd @ 2mA | 60° | 625nm |
| IF max. | Maximum forward current, forward just means with the LED connected correctly. |
| VF typ. | Typical forward voltage, VL in the LED resistor calculation. This is about 2V, except for blue and white LEDs for which it is about 4V. |
| VF max. | Maximum forward voltage. |
| VR max. | Maximum reverse voltage You can ignore this for LEDs connected the correct way round. |
| Luminous intensity | Brightness of the LED at the given current, mcd = millicandela. |
| Viewing angle | Standard LEDs have a viewing angle of 60°, others emit a narrower beam of about 30°. |
| Wavelength | The peak wavelength of the light emitted, this determines the colour of the LED. nm = nanometre. |
| Color | Wavelength [nm] | Voltage drop [ΔV] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrared | λ > 760 | ΔV < 1.9 | Gallium arsenide (GaAs) Aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) |
|
| Red | 610 < λ < 760 | 1.63 < ΔV < 2.03 | Aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) Gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) Aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) Gallium(III) phosphide (GaP) |
|
| Orange | 590 < λ < 610 | 2.03 < ΔV < 2.10 | Gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) Aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) Gallium(III) phosphide (GaP) |
|
| Yellow | 570 < λ < 590 | 2.10 < ΔV < 2.18 | Gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) Aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) Gallium(III) phosphide (GaP) |
|
| Green | 500 < λ < 570 | 1.9[53] < ΔV < 4.0 | Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) / Gallium(III) nitride (GaN) Gallium(III) phosphide (GaP) Aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) Aluminium gallium phosphide (AlGaP) |
|
| Blue | 450 < λ < 500 | 2.48 < ΔV < 3.7 | Zinc selenide (ZnSe) Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) Silicon carbide (SiC) as substrate Silicon (Si) as substrate – (under development) |
|
| Violet | 400 < λ < 450 | 2.76 < ΔV < 4.0 | Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) | |
| Purple | multiple types | 2.48 < ΔV < 3.7 | Dual blue/red LEDs, blue with red phosphor, or white with purple plastic |
|
| Ultraviolet | λ < 400 | 3.1 < ΔV < 4.4 | Diamond (235 nm)[54] Boron nitride (215 nm)[55][56] Aluminium nitride (AlN) (210 nm)[57] Aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) Aluminium gallium indium nitride (AlGaInN) – (down to 210 nm)[58] |
|
| White | Broad spectrum | ΔV = 3.5 |
