Optics in LEDs for lighting

WASHINGTON, USA: Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been changing the way we see the world since the 1960s. Their usage in everyday life is pervasive and continues to increase thanks to the cutting-edge research being done in the field of optics.

To highlight breakthroughs in LEDs, the editors of Energy Express, a bi-monthly supplement to Optics Express, the open-access journal of the Optical Society (OSA), today published a special Focus Issue on Optics in LEDs for Lighting. The issue is organized and edited by Guest Editors Jae-Hyun Ryou and Russell Dupuis of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

“The papers in this Focus Issue represent the outcome of state-of-the-art research and development by recognized experts in the field of LEDs,” said Ryou. “These latest advances are truly exceptional and will prove to be invaluable to advancements in lighting technology.”

LEDs continue to prove themselves as the future in lighting, with applications in everything from vehicle headlights to stadium displays to video cameras. In addition to their current commercial applications, LEDs have opened up an era of solid-state lighting (SSL) with capabilities of emitting photons of either primary colors or white light. With their continuous improvements in luminous efficiency compared with conventional light sources, LEDs will lead to significant energy savings when used as a ubiquitous light source for general lighting applications.

The papers in this Focus Issue feature state-of-the-art research and development that address the technical challenges and possible solutions for visible LEDs to be widely used in SSL, while also focusing on the major challenges associated with improving luminous efficiency and simultaneously delivering superb color quality at a reasonable cost.