In many countries the days of filament light bulbs are already numbered. They will be banned from the market by governmental regulations. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs will be replacing them. They use up to 75% less energy than regular light bulbs.
However a new generation of super-efficient light bulbs may be appearing soon. They use Light Emitting Diode technology. They consume even less energy than the CFL bulbs, are much smaller and can last years without needing to be replaced.
LED lights are already been used in torch lights, computers and mobile phones. They are however not bright enough to illuminate a room.
Researchers have found a way of making the LED lights much brighter without increasing the energy consumption by making microscopic holes on the surface of the LED.
A technique called nano-imprint lithography is used to etch microscopic holes on to the LEDs, allowing more of their light to escape. It allows the imprint of holes into billions of LEDs at a far greater speed but at a much lower cost.
It is expected within 3 years those super-efficient LED light bulbs will be on the market.
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December 30th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
This is great news! Compact fluorescents are OK, but their relatively short lifespan and toxic chemicals make them less than desirable. LEDs will be everywhere shortly.
January 28th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
This is a great development. I have already made the switch to CFL’s in my house, and I have anxiously awaited the development of an affordable LED light to increase the efficiency of my house. It’s products like this that our government should be investing in. Just think of the impact a government contract to replace all of the light bulbs in Federal building would have on this industry, and in this countries efforts to gain oil independence.
It is better to spend our hard earned and usually wasted tax dollars on projects like this than on wars in Iraq and throughout the world.