U-M scientist close to discovering Holy Grail of energy efficient lighting

We’re all putting compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s) into our home light fixtures and waiting patiently for local governments to put LEDs into our streetlights. But while all of this is happening scientists at the University of Michigan are working on the latest light acronym – OLED.

That’s Organic Light-Emitting Devices to us non-rocket scientists. The noticeable difference between these bulbs and CFL’s is that they create more appealing and energy efficient white organic light from light-emitting devices. This new light is considered the Holy Grail in the next generation of light bulbs because it creates more light from less wattage than other light bulbs.

For instance, normal incandescent light bulbs give off light as a byproduct of producing heat. Fluorescent lights can be as much as six times more efficient at producing light. LED lights are even more efficient because they produce mostly light that is seen by the human eye, which not the case with other lights.

OLED’s use nano technology to produce and manipulate the white light more efficiently and without using harmful chemicals like mercury, which is often found in fluorescent lighting.

U-M and Princeton scientists have been working on creating this type of light and believe they are much closer now. The scientists must find a way to reduce the costs to manufacture the OLED’s. Currently they are too high to be commercially competitive.

Source: University of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke