Scientists at West Virginia University will research technology essential for the development of new solid state lighting devices under a new agreement signed with an international consulting firm on Thursday (Nov. 29).

The $1 million agreement between the WVU Research Corporation (WVURC) and Los Angeles based IC INOVA , Inc. will fund 23 months of work by members of the WVNano Initiative, a WVU organization that promotes interdisciplinary research in the field of nanoscale science, engineering and education to improve the quality of materials, extraction of light and electrical efficiency of light emitting diode (LED) technology.

The project, titledJoint Light Emitting Diode Research and Developmentwill be under the direction of Dimitris Korakakis, assistant professor in the WVU Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Also leading the team will be WVNano Initiative Co-Director and Robert C. Byrd Professor of Physics, Thomas Myers, and an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Andrew Cao.

This agreement represents a tremendous opportunity for the University. The research being performed will develop technology with global implications for decreasing energy usage,said WVU President Mike Garrison.The fact that our new corporate partner IC INOVA sought us out for this project demonstrates that WVU is being taken very seriously in the field of emerging technologies.

Myers said the project agreement resulted from work already occurring at the University.

WVU has developed core competencies on the materials and processes involved in solid state lighting, which is why IC INOVA was interested in our program,he said.This is one of the first indicators that what we are trying to do with WVNano is paying offthe development of a culture that allows researchers in multiple disciplines to effectively work together and go after these larger projects.

The project centers on the development of LED technologies that are necessary to produce solid state lighting for the future. Solid state lighting from the use of LEDs can provide brighter illumination, extended operating life and lower energy consumption. Common uses include a broad range of applications, from household flashlights, and traffic lights and signals to large-scale video displays, and the potential is limitless.

Everywhere that you see a light, there is someone that will want to replace that old lighting with more efficient solid state lighting to improve energy savings and save money,said Myers.Here is an example I know from hikinga flashlight with an incandescent bulb might last ten hours, but one based on LEDs can last 200 hours with the same batteries. LEDs are very energy efficient

In the three-stage project, researchers will work on improving the materials used in the manufacturing of LEDs to help reduce the costs and increase efficiency. The group will also work on new techniques to extract the light from LED bulbs, using nanoscale optical structures tocoaxthe light in the right direction and maximize the output. Work will also involve improving the electrical efficiency of LED devices to minimize the use of energy drawn to operate the device.

With the signing of this agreement, we are now officially under contract to do fundamental technology development in solid state lighting pertinent to the overall effort across the world,said Myers.Weve involved in the second generation of this technology, and this is but the first of several phases working with IC INOVA that will escalate the interaction of fabricating solid state deviceshopefully within the state of West Virginia.