INTRODUCTION TO BASICS
The following sections cover the functions, terminology, and general product line of optoelectronics:
Functions of Optoelectronics
INDICATION
Indication is a form a lighting to highlight or/and status the devices' features and options. This is certainly one of the most popular use of optoelectronics.
SENSING
Utilizing lighting to sense gives devices the ability to count or determine the where about and conditions.
CIRCUIT
ISOLATION
Components such as optocouplers, also known as optoisolators allow circuit designs to isolate low and high power voltages, while retaining the switching function by emitting and receiving light.
INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSED
Lighting is not limited to just visual or sensing, but to industrial purposes such as heating, curing, and sanitizing.
AREA
LIGHTING
What often comes up to mind first aside from the indication lighting. Area lighting refers to general lighting for outdoor or indoor use.
Terminology
LED's and other optoelectronic components are made of parts, too small for the human eye, in order to see to meet technology demands for smaller and lighter devices. Optoelectronic components like an LED (Light Emitting Diode) is conventionally comprised of several parts: printed circuit board, substrate, encapsulating resin, LED element, and bonding wire. However, the main part, the LED element, which emits the light itself, can be arranged into other types of component structures and materials. The LED element works in conjunction to emit and sustain the light. Without the other parts, the LED element would not emit light! These other parts can come in different fit forms, which required the industry to come up with more specific terminology.
The accepted-industry terminology or proper way to refer to an LED or even an optocoupler is a "package." All LED packages and optocoupler packages are often designed and manufactured differently for the given applications. Some of these packages have become widely accepted for most applications, yielding standard sizes for even the newer LED packages either using a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC) as the main foundation.
Hover below through various images of the QTB product line, to begin familiarizing yourself with how different these components can vary from another. After browsing, move onto the application side of "Get Started" to see how each package is employed for different applications.