New generation of LEDs
U.S. government scientists are experimenting with polymers and
organic molecules in projects designed to create more efficient
light-emitting diodes. Researchers at the U.S. Department of
Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with
the University of Tennessee, believe the thin films of polymers
will improve the next generation of LED devices. LEDs are most
commonly used in traffic signals, vehicle taillights, cell
phone displays and other small-screen devices. At ORNL,
researchers are developing electrodes composed of carbon
nanotubes and magnetic nanowires to enhance the light emission
from polymer-based organic LEDs — those made from carbon-based
molecules and not semiconductors. In early tests, carbon
nanotubes improved the electroluminescence efficiency of polymer
LEDs by a factor of four and reduced the energy required to
operate them. Magnetic nanowires and dots have been shown to
help control the spin of electrons injected into the LEDs to
further improve efficiency and reliability. The researchers
hope to create a technology that consumes less than half the
power of today’s LEDs and opens the door for their practical
use in household lighting.
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