As different applications require differing level of voltage and current, no LED driver solution is the same. Add to that the complex mix of thermal management, brightness and lumen intensity management and it is easy to understand why there is such a large variety of LED drivers on the market.

The light output level or brightness of an LED is generally directly proportional to the magnitude of its forward current. Furthermore, the current through an LED should never exceed the device's nominal rating, otherwise permanent damage may result. Therefore, a constant current driving circuit is ideal to drive LED to regulate the current to the correct level. The LED driver circuit delivers constant current instead of constant voltage.

ILED drivers can also give greater control over the LEDs; for instance incorporating a PWM circuit to drive a MOSFET for the purpose of dimming the LED without dropping under the LED's minimum current barrier.

In this section we have selected some of the newest devices that specifically support the Power LEDs featured earlier in this guide. These dedicated drivers come from suppliers such as TI, National, On Semi, Linear, Zetex and many more.

Alternatively, easily compare LED drivers in our LED Driver Selection Guide.