West Virginia University has teamed up with the Los Angeles branch of the Japanese company IC INOVA for an international project to research ways to make LED lights more efficient.

Associate Professor Dimitris Korakakis is working alongside Assistant Professor Xian-An Cao of the WVU Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering as well as several WVU students to develop materials, structures and geometry to be used in developing a new generation of LED lights.

Using a process called electroluminescence, LED lights last longer and use less energy than traditional light bulbs. According to Korakakis, a 60-watt incandescent light bulb has a low efficiency of about 5 to 6 percent. The target for the research is to reach about 70 to 80 percent efficiency in LED lights.

"We are trying to improve the ways to take all the light that is generated out of the device," Korakakis said. "LED lights emit radially. However, because they are flat the light on the back side is lost."

Improving the efficiency of light captured in LED lamps will make them last longer and more cost efficient while using less energy. Korakakis said they are hoping the technology they develop can lead to a marketable product.

"Our target is to change all types of lighting," Korakakis said.

LaRue Williams, the program manager and director of Homeland Security Programs at WVU, said the university hopes the technology developed will lead to manufacturing in West Virginia and benefit the economy.

"We would hope that this research can help economic growth here in West Virginia," Williams said.

WVU received a grant from IC INOVA for design and funding of the WVU LED research project. It has plans to continue working with the university to further research the capabilities of LED lighting.

Williams said Korakakis's work in this field is extremely brilliant and attracted IC INOVA to WVU for the research project.

"Everyone in the world right now in this field is trying to advance LED lighting," Williams said. "It's definitely a vision for the future."