Salmon Sperm = Better LEDs?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.21.07
Talk about your unlikely combinations. Andrew Steckl, an expert in photonics from the University of Cincinnati, has been working to intensify the properties of LEDs by using biological materials - specifically DNA from salmon sperm. As he put it: “Biological materials have many technologically important qualities — electronic, optical, structural, magnetic. But certain materials are hard for us to duplicate, such as DNA and proteins.”
Which is where the salmon sperm comes in: "Salmon sperm is considered a waste product of the fishing industry. It’s thrown away by the ton. It’s natural, renewable and perfectly biodegradable.” He is quick to point out, however, that other plant or animal sources could prove equally useful. But why even use DNA in the first place?
Steckl believes that manipulating the motility of the electrons that help generate the LEDs' light could reveal new properties - properties that would ideally drive down costs to the producer, consumer and the environment and that would give a boost to performance. His BioLEDs, which incorporate DNA thin films as electron blocking layers, were the result.
"DNA has certain optical properties that make it unique. It allows improvements in one to two orders of magnitude in terms of efficiency, light, brightness — because we can trap electrons longer. Some of the electrons rushing by have a chance to say ‘hello,’ and get that photon out before they pass out. The more electrons we can keep around, the more photons we can generate. DNA serves as a barrier that affects the motion of the electrons."
Controlling these photons allows him to also control the brightness of the BioLEDs. Now that he's receiving salmon sperm in the truckloads from researchers and companies around the world, Steckl is ready to move on to his next objective: replacing other materials that go into a LED with biomaterials. He hopes to one day see "green" devices that incorporate biodegradable and renewable substances replacing all our conventional electronics. He may be on to something.
Via ::University of Cincinnati News: Salmon Garnish Points the Way to Green Electronics (press release), ::Earth2Tech: In the Lab: Salmon Sperm, Zinc Oxide, Pollutant Testing (blog)
See also: ::New LED Puts Incandescents, Fluorescents to Shame, ::Migros: First Supermarket with 100% LED Lighting
Sounds great - a real improvement on current technology. I'm just worried that this is the kind of research that will lead to 'safely' implanting LEDs and other devices into biological mediums (i.e. fish, birds, snails, elephants, whatever) for the purpose of advertising/branding/tracking/etc. Whereas there are plenty of positive uses for this kind of research (and improving LEDs, which are already such a great technology, is just great) there's bound to be a negative impact when the technology is used (abused?) by unscrupulous minds.
I suppose it's important to continue this development, however, despite the potential negatives. I mean, where would we be if Nobel had never invented dynamite?
What about my sperm?
This could lead to a very interesting source of energy/light. If we harness the motion required to get my sperm, and use it to power the LEDs...
This is wonderful, although i hope it doesn't encourage an increase in salmon fishing, and then a potential market for just salmon sperm where the salmon )or countless other animals( become the waste. i've often wondered what the advantages of applying cell and molecular biology to technology would be and i am certain that it would create and incredible field of research.
Also, right now, is there any research probing into the luciferin reaction as a potential replacement to our current lighting materials?
this is a great idea for so many reasons.
biodegradeable, usage of waste for production of light source, etc.
what i'm more curious about is this....if we can make an LED out of completely organic materials found in nature, what is to stop us from creating a string of DNA that reproduces these OrganicLEDs? imagine, one OLED that glows in a jar like a firefly. Add sugar and proteins to the jar, and that OLED could in theory duplicate itself and become two lights. then four, and eight. soon that jar might be filled with glowing, living, LEDs.
ahh yes. genetic manipulation.
It's not vegan. Not that should be the center of design decisions, but if salmon sperm work great, why not try something else that isn't from an animal.
For me, the power and efficiency of the device might win over other ethical concerns.
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