Nanotech Coating Holds Promise of More Colorful LEDs

Posted 01/12/2010 at 6:15am | by Paul Lilly

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Quick, what color comes to mind when you think of LEDs? If you said blue, you're in the majority, and there's a good reason for that. Blue LEDs happen to be the most energy efficient of the bunch, which might explain why there's not a ton of color variation in the LED world. Jason Hartlove, CEO of Nanosys, thinks that's about to change.

Hartlove was on hand at CES to talk about a type of nanotechnology that could ultimately lead to LEDs with more vivid colors and a wider range of hues, all without sacrificing energy efficiency. So how does it work?

As Hartlove explains it, the technology involves taking a blue LED and adding a phosphor material built out of nanomaterials to create warm white lights. This special coating would allow LED makers to choose from a spectrum of colors.

"We use the same process nature has to architect nanomaterials that provide greater wavelength range," Hartlove explained.

The best part about this approach is that it should be relatively cheap to implement. Companies can easily add the material to their existing process line, Hartlove says, negating the need for costly new factories or significant hardware upgrades.

Look for products using Nanosys' technology to debut this year.

Image Credit: treehugger.com