Tips From The Top

We geek out over science. Especially when it means we could get some really amazing TVs out of the deal.

Earlier this month, researchers out of the University of Cambridge and the Eindhoven University of Technology published their success creating an organic semiconductor that forces electrons to move in a spiral pattern. This new spinning, twisted light could mean a whole new era for technology – including smart home A/V. We’re talking better efficiency of OLED displays in both smart phone and television screens. We’re talking powering computer technologies like spintronics and quantum computing. We’re talking super cool tech. 

Here's how it works:

Most inorganic semiconductors, like silicon, have a symmetrical internal structure; electrons move through them without any preferred direction. In nature, however, molecules often have a left-or right-handed structure, like humans. These are called “chiral” molecules. Chirality is important for things like DNA formation, and it’s been an ongoing area of study to harness and control the chiral structure for use in electronics.

These researchers – who published their findings in Science – have figured out how to use molecular design tricks inspired by nature to create a chiral semiconductor that emits polarized light.

Chiral semiconductors could have a huge impact on display technology. Our current methods often waste a lot of energy as the screens filter light. This new chiral semiconductor naturally emits light, which could make screens brighter and more energy-efficient.

The decades-long research collaboration has led to the meticulous design of the molecular structure, coupling the chirality of the structure to the motion of the electrons. It’s never been done at this level before.

Ultimately, the researchers have reworked the basic method for making OLEDs by trapping a chiral structure within a stable, non-crystallizing matrix. This provides a way to create circularly polarized LEDs, which has not been possible before. And the implications go far beyond better TV and smartphone displays. It could transform quantum computing and the field of research called “spintronics,” which uses the “spin” (the inherent angular momentum) of electrons to store and process information. This could lead to faster, more secure computing systems.

We’ll be following these advancements closely, and we can’t wait to see what some of our favorite smart home A/V companies like Barco and Samsung do with this new technology.

To learn more about what new A/V technology is possible in your home, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.

*Image courtesy Barco Residential, its new Heimdall+ projector and the NT series of DV-LED walls.