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Twinkling Fireflies at Night Inspired Scientists to Modify The LED Bulbs

The night time twinkling of fireflies has inspired scientists to modify an LED light bulb so that it is more than one and a half times as efficient as the original.

Researchers from Belgium, France and Canada carried out extensive research on the internal structure of firefly lanterns - the organs on the bioluminescent insects' abdomens that flash in order to attract mates.

They identified an unexpected pattern of jagged scales that enhanced the glow of the lanterns and then applied this knowledge to LED light bulb design to create an overlayer that mimicked the structure.

This overlayer managed to increase LED light extraction by up to 55 per cent and can be easily tailored to existing diode designs in order to help people light up the night while using less energy.

Scientists claim that there is no need for a new LED to be created for this process as the diodes can be easily coated and laser patterned.

Researchers at the University of Namur studied the fireflies using scanning electron microscopes and found that structures such as nanoscale ribs and larger scales on the insects' cuticles.

Papers have now been published in the Optical Society's open-access journal Optics Express.

PHD student at the University of Namur in Belgium Annick Bay said the most important part of this work is that it has shown how much can be learnt by carefully observing nature.

"The Photuris fireflies are very effective light emitters but I am sure that there are other species that are even more effective. This work is not over," he added.

"What's nice about our technique is that it's an easy process and we don't have to create new LEDs. With a few more steps we can coat and laser pattern an existing LED."

Last year, scientists in Korea took inspiration from fireflies to create an anti-reflective lens for LED light bulbs.

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Source: http://www.scotlightdirect.co.uk/lighting-news/Ceiling-Lights/Fireflies-help-to-inspire-brighter-LED-lights/801521828
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Fireflies Help to Inspire 'brighter LED Lights'
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