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All Solid-State Nanowire LEDs

Technology Benefits

Robust nanowireHigher color quality (CRI) than phosphor LEDsHigher efficiency (>90%) as compared to phosphorLEDs (~70%)Lower-cost than QDTemperature stableLong lifetime (>10,000 hrs.) as compared to QD LEDs(~2,000 hrs.)Low barrier for LED industry adoptionNo toxic materials such as in QD-LEDs

Detailed Technology Description

This technology utilizing solid state III-nitride nanowiredown-converter materials for high efficiency and reduced-cost white LEDstargeting the solid state lighting industry.

*Abstract

Dr. Wei Guo has developed a technology utilizing solidstate III-nitride nanowire down-converter materials for high efficiency andreduced-cost white LEDs targeting the solid state lighting industry. Compared to QD phosphor materials, the III-Nnanowires are more robust, temperature stable and lower cost. It is expectedthat by using the III-N nanowire phosphor materials, in addition to theunprecedented improvement in color tenability, 20-40% device efficiencyimprovements can be achieved due to the narrow spectrum. Moreover, the device lifetimecan be extended to more than 15 years, in contrast to the 3-5 year lifetime ofQD LEDs.

*Background

Lighting accounts for about 11% of energy use inresidential buildings and 18% in commercial buildings. In addition to reduceenergy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, other benefits of the adaptionof solid state lighting technologies may include better reading and workingconditions and reduced light pollution. Solid state lighting can decrease totalelectricity consumption by 13%. The lighting industry has been revolutionizedby the recent development of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) in solid state lighting,where two generations of the LED technologies have been developed andcommercialized from YAG:Ce phosphor LEDs to quantum dot (QD) LEDs. However, thephosphor LEDs suffer from the lack of a tailored-spectrum white light with a lowconversion efficiency whereas QD LEDs suffer with a short lifetime and hightemperature sensitivity, hindering the further adoption of solid-statelighting, especially in commercial electronics and residential lightingmarkets. Also, QD-LEDs employ Cd, a toxic heavy metal.Thereis a strong need and large opportunity for a third generation LED technology tobe developed to take over the solid state lighting industry.

Country/Region

USA