Lead Performer: Lumisyn, LLC – Rochester, NY
DOE Total Funding: $149,999
Project Term: June 13, 2016 – March 13, 2017
Funding Type: SBIR
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
A major roadblock to higher efficiencies for warm-white LEDs is the use of spectrally wide red-emitting phosphors that emit a significant amount of their energy either in the far-red or infrared part of the spectrum, where the human eye’s response is low. This common design can produce the desired warmer light, but at the expense of lower efficiency. Colloidal nanocrystals are a candidate solution but today suffer from unwanted quenching of the quantum efficiency with concurrent increases in their emission spectral width at the elevated temperatures and excitation levels that are attained during operation of high-power LEDs.
This project proposes a new and novel use of existing nanocrystals incorporated into low-cost inorganic-based encapsulant materials for warm-white LEDs. Candidate encapsulant materials will be synthesized, analyzed for performance, and then optimized to enable the maximum efficiency and lifetime. The goal for Phase I is to demonstrate encapsulated nanocrystals used in conjunction with green-yellow phosphors that will achieve a 3x efficacy increase and that will maintain their high-performance optical properties while significantly enhancing their long-term stability under typical LED accelerated-life test conditions.
PROJECT IMPACT
This project will address a major roadblock to higher efficiencies for warm-white LEDs.
CONTACTS
DOE Technology Manager: James Brodrick, [email protected]
Lead Performer: Keith Kahen, Lumisyn, LLC