The Nobel Prize in Physics 2014 was awarded to three Japanese born men for the invention of the blue LED which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.
Isamu Akasaki, 85, from Meijo and Nagoya Universities, Hiroshi Amano, 54, from Nagoya, and Shuji Nakamura, 60, from the University of California at Santa Barbara, will share the $1.1 million prize for the invention of blue-light emitting diodes.
Together, these scientists developed the intricate layering of semiconductor materials needed to create blue-light emitting diodes. Though red and green diodes had been invented decades earlier, blue was needed to complete the trio and create a light that would be white in color. The white color LED would represented a fundamental transformation in lighting and illumination. The impact of LED lighting is still unfolding, as these LED lights are quickly replacing traditional incandescent or florescent lights.
It is no wonder why the Nobel prize was awarded for this invention. The usefulness of these lights is so massive that it is hard to comprehend. So much of the worlds energy consumption is used for illumination. Because of the increased efficiency, long lifespan, performance, and durability, of LED lights, they are quickly replacing older technologies across the entire world.
