LED and incandescent bulb. A light-emitting diode (LED) is based on a forward-biased semiconductor heterojunction. The price point for recently-developed high-power white LEDs is approaching consumer levels. They are beginning to be used for lighting and illumination applications (called solid-state lighting). Compared to conventional incandescent light bulbs, LEDs are much more efficient, durable, and have longer lifetime. Solid-state lighting is expected to eventually replace conventional incandescent and even fluorescent light bulbs.