Illinois professor who invented LED subject of documentary

CHAMPAIGN — Most people have probably never heard of University of Illinois professor Nick Holonyak Jr., but a new documentary about his well-known invention and work will air on cable TV later this month.

The 82-year-old invented the LED, or light-emitting diode, a half-century ago. His work led to the lasers that make CD and DVD players work and fiber-optic communications networks.

The News-Gazette newspaper in Champaign reports that the Big Ten Network plans to show a documentary about Holonyak on July 28 and repeat it the next day.

Holynak is the son of an Illinois coal miner and himself worked on the Illinois Central Railroad.

He went to the university and worked with John Bardeen who eventually won two Nobel Prizes.