In order to raise the global awareness on how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and its impact on energy, education, agriculture and health sectors, United Nations had declared 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015).  Activities on this are continuing  in year 2016 also.

Presented here are some featured articles from popular journals on light based technologies.

These articles can be accessed from the library subscribed e-journals.

(i) Past, present, and future of fringe-field switching-liquid crystal display – Journal of Information Display, Vol 15 (2), 2014

The article presents the technology behind the fringe-field switching-liquid crystal display (FFS-LCD), its development, technical issues and future advances. The FFS-LCD which was first reported to the public in  1998 has  become a major  component now for high resolution, high-image quality, low power consumption, and touch screen suitability

(ii) Integrated and topological liquid crystal photonics – Liquid Crystals, Vol 41 (3), 2014

In this article the author presents his views on nematic colloids, applications of these materials in future photonic microdevices and future challenges towards the realisation of integrated liquid crystal microphotonics. He concludes the article with the suggestion that that we could use the fascinating topological variety and flexibility of LCs indicates that they can be used for engineering of novel microphotonic devices based exclusively on soft matter.

(iii) Topological Soft Matter for Optics and Photonics – Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, vol. 594(1), 2014

The authors M. Ravnik and S. Zumir provides overview of liquid crystal colloidal structures and show that 3D colloidal crystals can be assembled from elastic dipoles of spherical beads in nematic liquid crystals or via inherently inhomogeneous order profiles in bulk and confined cholesteric blue phases.

(iv) White-light generation using a remote-phosphor-coated diffusing surface excited by the high-brightness blue light-emitting diode – Journal of Information Display, vol.15 (2), 2014

The authors report the generation of white light using inorganic-phosphor-coated flexible diffuser using the commercially available blue-LED bulb as an excitation source and which works based on the principle of a down conversion layer and diffusing optics. The article points out the demerits of white-light generation by mixing RGB LEDs compared to the phosphor-based WLEDs and concludes that diffuser may find application in large-area illumination and decorative lighting, where flexible diffusers are required.

(v) A new method for monitoring an OLED panel for lighting by sensing the wave-guided light– Journal of Information Display, vol. 13 (3) 2012

The article presents a monitoring method for the luminance change occurring in an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel for lighting by optical sensing of the wave-guided light in the substrate and proposes a driving circuit which can be used to compensate any degradation in the luminance of the OLED panel.

(vi) Extending the lifespan of LED-lighting products – Architectural Engineering and Design Management, vol. 11(2), 2015

The article explores the life lifespan of LED lighting products, the causes of their failure under real operating  conditions and provides design recommendations to extend the lifespan. The methodology used is a survey of close-ended questionnaires answered by LED lighting product manufacturers and consumers.

(vii) Environmental Impacts from the Solar Energy Systems – Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, vol.31 (8) 2008

The paper provides an overview of the positive impacts as well as the minor negative impacts of solar energy systems and the precautions that could be taken to minimize the environmental impacts.

(viii) Light shining through walls  – Contemporary Physics, vol.52 (3), 2011

The authors describe the different types of WISPs such as axions and axion-like particles, hidden-sector photons, minicharged particles, the present and future experiments and WISP in astrophysics and cosmology.

(ix) A Smart Sensor to Evaluate Visual Comfort of Daylight into Buildings  – International Journal of Optomechatronics, vol.2(4), 2008

The authors mention the main drawbacks of daylight as perpetual variation, unpredictability   and occupants’ needs based on subjective predictability.   They respond to these issues with the design of a global lighting system that has a smart device with an external sensor placed on the building roof, which measures the solar light distribution, venetian blinds to regulate the natural light flow through the windows, artificial lights to complete the global illumination within the room if necessary, and an indoor sensor, which aims at measuring the light conditions like they can be perceived by occupants.

(x) Adaptive lighting controllers using smart sensors – International Journal of Sustainable Energy. Vol 33(1), 2014

In this paper the authors present an advanced controller with fuzzy logic for artificial lights. Luminous efficiency of different types of lights based on ‘European Standard for Interior Lighting’, Available control techniques for energy savings of artificial light systems, fuzzy controller analysis, architecture and application of the controller in  different light systems are also explained.

(xi) Lumen Maintenance and Light Loss Factors: Consequences of Current Design Practices for LEDs – LEUKOS: The Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, vol.10 (2) 2014

The authors examine the uncertainty in light loss factors, presents comparisons and consequences of lamp lumen depreciation factors,  compares the performance of some conventional and LED products, and examines alternatives to the recommended approach for determining lamp lumen depreciation (LLDs) for LED products in this article.

(xii) Optimal hybrid renewable energy systems for energy security: a comparative study – Journal of Sustainable Energy . Vol 29 (1), 2010

The article explores a hybrid renewable energy system that may be used to may be used to reduce dependency on either conventional energy or renewable systems.

(xiii)  Environmental Impacts from the Solar Energy Systems – Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects. Vol.31 (2), 2008

The authors provide an overview of some positive impacts of the solar energy systems, which are major sources of alternative energy as well as some minor negative impacts on the environment during their production and operation. Environmental Impacts from the Solar Energy Systems namely solar cells elaborated in the article are land use and thermal pollution, visual impacts, air pollution, noise intrusion during the  construction phase and visual  burdens. In  conclusion  they provide the measures that  can  be implemented to  reduce the  negative impacts.

To  know more about  the International Year of Light, you can  access http://www.light2015.org/Home.html