Researchers from Munich and Turin have developed a low-cost and uncomplicated production lighting technology with light-emitting electrochemical cells. They emit blue light, which is needed to produce white light. Their name LEC is the abbreviation of light-emitting electrochemical cells.

Simple and inexpensive construction
LECs have a simpler structure than LEDs: in addition to a cathode and anode, they only have an active layer for mobile ions. Their luminous efficacy has so far been lower than that of light-emitting diodes – but LECs should be much cheaper. “The development of inexpensive devices that emit white and blue light is highly desired and holds many benefits. However, the previous lack of blue emitters has hindered the transition from the laboratory to the real market. Accordingly, the creation of blue emitters is a general milestone in thin-film lighting. Once blue devices are here, we will be able to make white light devices relatively easily,” says Professor Rubén D. Costa of the Technical University of Munich at the Straubing Campus for Biotechnology and Sustainability in a press release.

Very good colour rendering
“With the new high-performance blue LECs, copper(l) based single-layer white LECs with high quality white light and a color rendering index of 90 can be realized,” adds Professor Claudia Barolo from the University of Turin.

The scientists published their results in the March issue of the journal "Advanced Materials".