Chromophores have been engineered to exhibit fast electron transfer, opening up new possibilities for nanoscale electronics. By linking long chromophores with short linkers, researchers can create materials that function on the nanoscale.
Researchers at UCLA Engineering have developed a novel approach to silicon devices that combines light amplification with a photovoltaic effect, enabling the generation of power normally wasted as heat. This breakthrough has significant implications for the photonics industry and the traditional stronghold of semiconductors.
NIST researchers have successfully grown gallium nitride alloy nanowires with intense ultraviolet and visible light emission. The wires' high light output and defect-free structure enable reliable room-temperature measurements, while their versatility makes them suitable for various devices, including sensors and transistors.
Researchers have developed carbon-based quantum dots that show less potential for toxicity and environmental harm. These dots can be used to create low-cost sensors for detecting explosives and biological warfare agents.
Researchers at MIT have created a new energy system that converts light into electricity, enabling more fuel-efficient cars. The system uses advanced materials and photonics to create intense light, which is then harnessed by photo diodes to power electrical systems.
Researchers at the University of Montreal have developed a high-performance OLED on a new electrode material, enabling flexible displays. The technology uses carbon nanotube sheets, which exhibit flexibility, transparency, and conductivity, making them suitable for various display and lighting applications.
Researchers at JILA use a novel laser technique to study semiconductor materials, revealing correlated oscillations that can aid in predicting emission frequencies. The approach, developed for probing molecular structure, offers new insights into electronic properties of semiconductors.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a system that uses white LEDs to transmit data wirelessly over power lines, achieving gigabit-per-second speeds. The system is more secure than traditional wireless methods due to light's ability to penetrate walls and avoid signal distortion.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered a way to make quantum dots produce broad-spectrum white light, similar to sunlight. The discovery uses 'magic-sized' nanocrystals that emit light without chemical treatment, offering a potential sustainable alternative to traditional lighting.
Engineers develop optoelectronic tweezers that can manipulate large numbers of single cells and particles, offering a practical advantage over existing methods. The device uses a photoconductive surface and light-emitting diode to create an electric field for particle manipulation.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are developing smart lighting sources with improved spectral power distribution, polarization, and color temperature to enable new functions in various fields. These innovations have the potential to reduce energy consumption, dependency on oil, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a silicon device that can modulate light on a micrometer scale, enabling the integration of electronics and photonics. The device uses a ring resonator to filter out specific wavelengths of light, allowing for efficient switching between states.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have successfully demonstrated electroluminescence from all-inorganic nanocrystal-based architecture. The new LEDs utilize colloidal quantum dots and emerging GaN manufacturing technologies to produce high-emission-efficiency, color-selectable light.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have successfully controlled the directional growth of single-crystal gallium nitride nanowires, enabling precise tuning of their physical properties. This capability has significant implications for the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices.
Rensselaer researchers have developed an omni-directional reflector (ODR) that enhances LED brightness, accelerating the replacement of conventional lighting. The new technology has significant implications for energy savings and reducing mercury exposure, which can cause health problems.
Researchers developed wireless nanocrystals that emit visible light by pumping them with a nearby quantum well, improving efficiency over traditional fluorescent bulbs. The process produces white light through varying the size of quantum dots, paving the way for more efficient white-light-emitting diodes.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a new method for transferring non-contact energy to nanocrystals from a quantum well. This enables the efficient production of light with controlled color, opening up possibilities for hybrid quantum-well/nanocrystal devices and applications in solar cells.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have successfully demonstrated a new method for controlling light with light, using near-infrared and mid-infrared lasers. This breakthrough has significant implications for secure, all-optical transmission of voice and data, overcoming limitations of current near-infrared technology.
NIST's new portable 'rainbow' source enables precise color calibration across the entire visible light spectrum, addressing uncertainty in instruments measuring ocean and atmospheric properties. The highly portable source has been ordered by NOAA to reduce uncertainties in satellite calibrations.
Researchers at Purdue University developed a miniature detector using laser liftoff technique, enabling portable instruments for biologists and farmers to test crops for toxins. The device replaces bulky equipment with a centimeter-wide chip, reducing costs and increasing security.
Researchers at University of Illinois have developed a light-emitting transistor that can control light emission and modulate it at high speeds, opening up new possibilities for integrated circuitry and signal processing. The device has three ports, allowing for the connection of optical and electrical signals.
Researchers at Ohio State University have created hybrid materials that are virtually defect-free, paving the way for ultra-efficient electronics, solar cells and LEDs. The new technology could lead to faster, less expensive computer chips and bridge the gap between traditional silicon and light-related technologies.
Researchers have designed a new optical microprobe to detect subsurface organ abnormalities, providing a new capability for endoscopy procedures. The device uses tiny electrically activated artificial muscle fibers to scan internal organ surfaces and penetrate beneath the surface.
A study by Tufts University biologists found that female fireflies are attracted to males with longer flashes, indicating they can be better fathers. The length of a male's flash is related to the quality and quantity of his 'nuptial gift', which provides essential nutrition for his offspring.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new technique to process the difficult-to-process solid-state fluorescent material Alq3 using a universal polymer backbone, allowing for the production of inexpensive OLED devices. The new material demonstrates potential for color tuning and physical flexibility.
A recent study by Rensselaer researchers found that exposure to blue LED lighting can delay the decline of body temperatures in Alzheimer's patients, leading to better sleep. The study also showed increased activity during daylight hours for two patients who wore wrist activity monitors.
Researchers at Kansas State University have developed an optically-active structure with a diameter smaller than a human hair based on III-nitride wide bandgap semiconductors. The tiny structures can be used as miniature displays, detectors, sensors or hyper-bright LEDs.
Researchers have developed a way to fabricate superlattice nanowires, which can incorporate transistor junctions, light-emitting diodes, and lasers within a single wire. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of ultra-small electronic devices that are equal to or better than current hand-size electronics.
Kansas State University researchers have created blue micro LEDs that can be used in smaller items like cell phone displays. The new technology increases efficiency by 60 percent compared to conventional LEDs, which can lead to significant energy savings worldwide.
Professor Shuji Nakamura of University of California, Santa Barbara, has been awarded the 2000 Honda Prize for his inventions of blue, green, and white light emitting diodes (LEDs). The energy-efficient white LED will replace incandescent lights, reducing energy consumption by up to 50%.
Researchers have found that near-infrared light from LEDs accelerates wound healing in patients with diabetic skin ulcers, serious burns, and severe oral sores. The treatment uses a portable device emitting LED lights, which promote energy inside cells, leading to faster healing times.
The US Navy is adopting new green LEDs in traffic lights that can deliver up to 10 times more power at microwave frequencies as traditional silicon semiconductors, promising improved radar systems performance. Gallium nitride-based materials are being used to replace vacuum tubes in high-power military microwave systems.
Surgeons have successfully performed two operations using a new LED-based probe to treat brain cancer, with promising results. The treatment, called Photodynamic Therapy, involves activating light-sensitive drugs with long wavelengths of light, destroying tumors while sparing surrounding tissues.
Scientists develop polymers that can emit patterns of light using microlithographic technique, opening door to plastic LEDs in displays. The new technology has potential to replace silicon-based electronics with plastics.
Researchers have developed a new polymer-based LED that can change color with ease, making it suitable for flat-panel computer and television screens. The device outshines traditional materials in terms of brightness and efficiency, offering potential power savings in traffic lights.
Engineers have successfully integrated a porous silicon light-emitting diode into conventional microelectronic circuitry, creating an all-silicon system that can process both light and electricity. The breakthrough strengthens the material to withstand manufacturing processes, making it more suitable for mass production.