Nanostructured Plasmonic Materials Could Provide More Natural Color for Displays

Ultralow-power, ultrahigh-definition displays and screens that will be easier on the eyes could be possible with technology being developed by researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their approach illuminates the display by reflecting light from the surrounding environment, rather than by using energy-intensive LEDs to light the display from behind the screen. The approach is bioinspired. Many animals display color by scattering and reflecting light when the light hits the nanoscale structures on their bodies. “If we see butterflies, octopuses, or many beautiful birds, their color actually originates from nanoscale structures on their feathers, skin, or scales,” professor Debashis Chanda said. “What...