DoE issues $20m for solid-state lighting research
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has selected 11 research projects to fund under its solid-state lighting initiative.
Just under half of the overall figure of $20 million is earmarked for work directly relating to compound semiconductor materials, while the remainder will be spent on organic alternatives.
Of the six compound semiconductor projects, the one to receive the most funding ($4.2 million) will focus on the development of advanced phosphors used to convert blue LED emission into white light.
Boston-based Cabot Superior MicroPowders, whose team is developing the phosphors, expects to double the current external quantum efficiency of such light sources to around 60%. Devices capable of emitting over 80 lm/W may result from this approach.
Other projects funded by the DoE include one that will look at using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) to make GaN-based LEDs (see related story). Boston University researchers will receive $1.2 million for this effort.
Meanwhile, two projects at Sandia National Laboratories will receive a combined $1.55 million towards the development of microcavity photonic crystal LEDs and improvements in InGaN epitaxy for green LEDs via precise temperature measurement through infrared pyrometry.
It is hoped that the latter project will dramatically improve the wafer yield of LEDs made in commercial reactors, leading to inexpensive white-light LEDs.
The University of California, San Diego, will receive $1.2 million towards improving internal quantum efficiency of nitride LED heterostructures, while the University of Florida gets a similar amount to look at ZnO-based devices.
