Light emitting diodes, commonly called LEDs, are real unsung heroes in the electronics world.

Technology Background

Nanotechnology Breakthroughs

Global Effects

 Electroluminescence : an optical phenomenon and electrical phenomenon in which a material emits light in response to an electric current passed through it, or to a strong electric field.

 The LED consists of a chip of semiconducting material doped to create a p-n junction.

 Electron drop from the conduction band to a lower orbital release energy in the form of photons. This happens in any diode, but you can only see the photons when the diode is composed of certain material.

 Today white LEDs have matched and overtook the efficiency of standard incandescent lighting systems.

Trend for Luminous Efficacy of LED SSL Results for Commercial Warm White Lamps.

Forecast Trend for Luminous Efficacy of LED SSL Laboratory Results.

Technology Background

Nanotechnology Breakthroughs

Global Effects

 Conventional LEDs consists of multiple crystalline semiconductors that suffer from defects in crystal structure and might have millions of defects per square centimeter

Nanotechnology may unlock the secret for creating highly efficient next-generation LED lighting system, and exploring its potential is the aim of several projects.

 Optimized light-emitting semiconductor nanowires are interesting in light-emitting diodes provided they can be electrically excited.

 FE-SEM image of a typical crossed nanowire device. The diameters of the nanowires are 29 nm (AC) and 40 nm (BD) The red curves represent the I V behaviour across the junctions.

 The thin amorphous oxide surface layer can pin the Fermi level (EF) and cause band bending in the p- and n-type NWs prior to contact and junction formation (left). When the p- and n-type NWs are brought into contact to form the junction, the bands bend further in order to align EF in both NWs (right).

 A. Electroluminescence (EL) image of the light emitted from a forward-biased nanowire p n junction at 2.5 V. Inset, photoluminescence (PL) image of the junction. Scale bars, 5 m. B. EL intensity versus voltage. Inset, I V characteristics.

Technology Background

Nanotechnology Breakthroughs

Global Effects

One last thought . . .