Scientists of the West Virginia University 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 study 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.

LED lights use less energy and last longer than conventional sources, like the incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, but they also 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.

WVU Associate Professor Korakakis, Assistant Professor Xian-An 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.

In current LED lighting, only about 50 percent of the power consumed comes out as light while for a commercially viable device a target of 70-80 percent is required. The work of the team centers on getting more light output per power used in LED structures, said Korakakis.

“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.