LED Lighting revolution

Lighting enters the era of nanotechnology

Will windows and walls turn into illuminating surfaces at night with nanotechnologies? Probable! Many research teams - including CSTB - are participating in Luminosurf, a project that is likely to disrupt lighting techniques.

In each of the tubes, solutions containing particles of different sizes, corresponding to blue, green and red.

Lighting technologies are in full (r) evolution. While the disappearance of the incandescent bulb is already announced, as the low consumption lamps are in the process of democratization and that the LEDs just appear on the market, the CSTB is already thinking about lighting according to -tomorrow. Exit the bright spots. Place large illuminating surfaces at low luminance and no glare. "The research project in which we are taking part tackles the problem of lighting in a totally new way," enthuses Christophe Martinsons, head of the Lighting, Electromagnetism and Electricity team, " We seek to develop illuminating surfaces for the lighting industry. order per square meter, all this is possible thanks to nanotechnologies. "

Nano-phosphors in the front line

A mixture of particles of proportions calculated for the emission of white light.

The Luminosurf project is financed by the Single Interministerial Fund (FUI) and recognized as part of the activities of the Axelera competitiveness cluster. It brings together many partners, both research and industrial laboratories (see box). The principle behind the development of illuminating surfaces is simple. In theory at least! Schematically, it is to exploit the properties of nano-phosphorests (or "quantum dots") synthesized chemically. "Once excited by a source of blue light or ultraviolet, these small semiconductor crystals recover their steady state by emitting light radiation whose wavelength depends on their size, explains Christophe Martinsons. So just find the right "mix" of crystals to get very pure white light! "

The first prototype in 2010

The start of Luminosurf is planned for the beginning of 2009. As of the current 2010, a first prototype illuminating surface should be developed. In the meantime, the researchers involved in this project will have to solve many problems one by one: synthesis of crystals, colorimetric formulation to obtain a perfect white, the deposit of these particles in thin layer on different types of materials (glass, polymers ...) etc. "CSTB will intervene more particularly on everything related to optical measurements: luminescence, flux, intensity, uniformity of the spectrum, chromaticity and color rendering," says Christophe Martinsons " In a second phase of the project, we will also work on the analysis of life cycle of the products produced. "It will then be time to move on to concrete applications, both in the habitat and in public transport interiors or on store fronts (illuminated windows, illuminated signs, signage, etc.)

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