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17 Jun 2002
A fundamental insight achieved into crystalline materials called phosphors may help industry increase the amount and quality of colored light they give off and lead to the replacement of liquid crystal portable display screens, say scientists at Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia's foray into phosphor luminescence should help create improved portable computer display screens for future foot soldiers, tank commanders, supersonic airplane pilots, and -- through licensing agreements -- civilian laptop and portable TV users.
The insight came when Sandia scientists tried to understand the mechanism by which a phosphor emits light. They found that the amount of green light emitted by zinc oxide does not depend upon the thickness of the crystal but upon the density of a defect: oxygen atoms missing from their places in the crystal. Single electrons that remain in the vacant spaces emit green light when a mild electric current is introduced.
Zinc oxide -- better known in cream form as a sun block and baby's skin soother -- was chosen because of its simple, two-component lattice. While most phosphors comprise three, four, or even five elements in complex lattices, Sandia scientists believe that development of other phosphors will benefit from the knowledge gained by studying zinc oxide. Other phosphors include those that emit blue and red light, the primary colors which combine with green to form to form full-color TV or computer images.
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