Micro LEDs offer increased efficiency levels
A new Strathclyde University spin-out is developing tiny LEDs that measure just one 50th of a millimetre across but are more efficient than traditional models.
The firm, mLED, says its microLEDs have a wide range of applications from communications and printing circuit boards to neuroscience and studying biological cells.
Each device is made up of an array of up to several thousand LED elements, each just 20 micrometres in diameter. They can easily be programmed to create specific patterns of light without external components.
These patterns of light could be used in hand-held projectors or to print on light-sensitive surfaces without a mask, for example, in the production of circuit boards.
‘The power density, versatility and compactness of microLEDs makes them ideally suited for these applications,’ said Dr Jim Bonar, mLED’s chief executive.
The microLEDs are also more compact and have better beam quality and faster operating speeds than their macro counterparts.
Because the lights can be turned on and off so quickly and have a high energy output, they can also be used in communications or for measuring the ability of cells to emit light by fluorescence.
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