Add the search for economical, long-lasting, brighter lights that use less
energy to the list of energy topics occupying the attention of West
Virginia University scientists and engineers.
Clean coal technology, biomass energy generation, solar panels and wind turbines
may take center stage in the public’s perception of major energy research,
but according to WVU Associate Professor Dimitris Korakakis, the quest for alternatives
to traditional lighting can also have a major impact on saving energy.
Korakakis, along with Assistant Professor Xian-An Cao, of the WVU Lane Department
of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, have been developing the next
generation of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting that will be much more efficient
than anything now on the commercial market.
The team’s work was the subject of an initial grant based on IC INOVA’s
LED design and funding. A recent memorandum of understanding between the WVU
Research Corporation and IC INOVA, a Japanese company, demonstrates their support
in the progress of the WVU LED research. Officials of IC INOVA recently visited
Morgantown to add encouragement to the research efforts.
LED lighting was first invented in Russia in the 1920s and became a practical
electronic component in America in the early 1960s. It is based on the discovery
that when, in solid state physics, a semiconductor diode is switched on, electrons
(a subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge) recombine with
“holes” and energy is released in the form of light. The process
is called electroluminescence.
The advantages of LED lights are that they use less energy and last longer
than conventional sources, like the incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. But,
they are expensive because they require advanced materials and device design
that traditional light sources do not require. That expense sometimes stands
as a barrier to more effective use of LED lighting and an additional conservation
of energy on a widespread scale.
At WVU, Korakakis, Cao, and IC INOVA are working on making the lights less
expensive and even more efficient thus contributing to the drive to reduce the
world’s energy consumption. Among the graduate research assistants that
work on the project is Lee Rodak, a West Virginia native who received a National
Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship in Summer 08 to work on this project in
Japan.
Korakakis said their work centers on getting more light output per power used
in LED structures. He said that in current LED lighting, only about 50 percent
of the power consumed comes out as light whereas for a commercially viable device
a target of 70-80 percent is set.
“We are working toward the goal of getting those numbers into the range
of 60 to 80 percent,” Korakakis said. “It is research to increase
the light extraction efficiency rate.”
Because the WVU research focuses on manipulation of subatomic particles and
electron holes as part of the solid state LED process, the researchers are a
part of WVNano. The main objective of WVNano is to advance the state’s
research environment and diversify the economic base by cultivating a vigorous
nanoscale research and engineering program.
Nanoscience is the science of the extremely tiny - not as small as atoms or
molecules, but much smaller than anything that can be seen without assistance.
WVNano’s research focuses on potential applications in the areas of public
security, health, energy and the environment.
WVNano hosted a signing ceremony where representatives of IC INOVA and WVU
put signatures to a document pledging further cooperative work on the projects.
John Liddell, director of IC INOVA USA said the company has worked with WVU
for about five years and looks forward to commercializing the new LED technology
resulting from this research.
“This is an agreement to continue cooperation in further development
of research to enhance the capabilities of LED lighting,” Liddell said.
“We recognize the successes of previous WVU research and we look forward
to continuing our relationship.”
Posted June 3rd, 2009
