Twisted light to reduce energy consumption in displays
Research into molecules that emit and detect twisted light could result in screens that consume far less energy than current devices, according to a research team from Imperial College, which says backlit lcds can waste more than 75% generated by the backlight.
The molecules being studied are said to be corkscrew shaped and can be made to emit twisted 'circularly polarised' light. Polarised light that twists in opposite directions could also be used to generate two different images on the same screen. The next step is to fine tune the molecules to emit red, green and blue light removing the need for filters.
Dr Matthew Fuchter and Dr Alasdair Campbell are also working to understand the fundamental science that links the shape of molecules and the twisted light and believe twisted molecules can be used to detect twisted light.
A further benefit may be that transmitting data using circularly polarised light could double the capacity of fibre optic cables. The scientists also believe this technology might have application in quantum computers.
