Blue lasers

Article By:

Nakamura, Shuji Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center, University of California, Santa Barbara, California. Nobelist.

Last reviewed:2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB000190

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are ideal solid-state light sources. At present, incandescent and fluorescent lamps are used as light sources for many applications. However, these conventional glass-vacuum-type light sources have poor reliability and durability and low luminous efficiency. In the past, electronic circuits used glass vacuum tubes in spite of their poor reliability and durability. Now, all electronic circuits use highly reliable solid-state semiconductor components. Thus, only the light sources are still based on traditional technology rather than solid-state semiconductors. Recently, the development of indium gallium nitride (InGaN)–based compound semiconductors has opened the way to all-solid-state semiconductor light sources. The brightness and durability of solid-state light-emitting diodes make them ideal for use in displays and light sources, while semiconductor laser diodes have been used in everything from optical communications systems to compact-disk players. These applications have been limited by the lack of materials that can efficiently emit blue light.

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