While ultraviolet (UV) light is mostly invisible to the human eye, UV LEDs get their name in part from the violet color associated with the edge of the visible spectrum, even though much of their output isn't actually visible.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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UV Light and the Spectrum: UV light sits beyond violet on the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning its wavelength is shorter than that of violet light.
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Invisibility: Because of these short wavelengths, most UV light is not detectable by human vision.
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"Ultraviolet": The "ultra" in ultraviolet means "beyond" (violet), indicating it's beyond what we can see as violet.
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Visible Light Leakage: Some UV LEDs might emit a small amount of visible light, which can appear violet or blue. This is often unintentional and is a byproduct of the LED's manufacturing or the materials used. The primary purpose of a UV LED, however, is to emit ultraviolet radiation.
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Applications: UV LEDs are used for various purposes like sterilization, curing, and UV photography and don't rely on visible color for their functionality.
In summary, while the name "ultraviolet" stems from the violet part of the visible spectrum and some UV LEDs may emit a faint violet/blue glow, the primary light emitted is invisible UV radiation.
