ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the history of the development of semiconductor-based light emitting diodes and studies towards a generation of efficient white light sources. It explores the possible role of zinc selenide (ZnSe) and zinc telluride (ZnTe) as materials for such devices. The chapter discusses ideas and a demonstration of possible applications of ZnSe and ZnTe as electroluminescence materials in thin-film displays, as nonlinear energy up-converting optical materials, and as tunable mid-infrared lasers. High losses of energy are mostly due to a very low light emission efficiency of massively used incandescent bulb lamps. Colour filters are then used to allow a selection of colour emission in a given spectral region over the whole visible spectrum.
