Semiconductor lasers and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming ubiquitous, from supermarkets to large displays. Although these components are made mostly from the same materials as microprocessors, integrating electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices right on the semiconductor wafers can be prohibitively expensive. For displays, the cost per unit area is of tremendous importance, and the LEDs are made small and closely packed, leaving limited room for ESD protection circuits. Fragility to ESD is regarded as an acceptable trade-off. Researchers are therefore focusing on developing ways to make the materials used for LEDs intrinsically more robust

against ESD.

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