Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) continue to transform technology, whether it’s through the high-resolution glow of flat-screen televisions or light bulbs that last for years. The high efficiency and versatility of LEDs make them increasingly popular, but their full potential remains limited, in part because of remaining mysteries about the exact light-emission mechanism in the semiconducting materials.

One significant controversy surrounds the reason for the high-intensity light output from a leading LED semiconductor material, indium gallium nitride (InGaN): Researchers have been split on whether or not indium-rich clusters form within the material and provide the LED’s remarkable efficiency.