Originally Posted by
buffo
James, I'm surprised! You know better.
That is a gross oversimplification that really should be avoided. It raises all sorts of neophyte questions about "why can't I 'lase' the light from my LED" (sic) that we have had to answer many times before.
Yes, laser diodes can emit light through spontaneous emission rather than stimulated emission (for example, when they are below lasing threshold but still have current flowing, or when the optical cavity has been damaged by excessive current).
However, that fact alone does not make them LEDs in the classical sense. The structure is different, the doping is different, the connections are different, and their operation is completely different. Calling them LEDs is misleading at best.
There are fundamental differences between an LED and a laser diode, and one is not equal to the other.
Adam