From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays

Abstract In the last three decades, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have represented a breakthrough innovation for optoelectronic applications. From optical communication to lighting and compact displays, LEDs are nowadays the device of choice in all those fields where high fluence, low power consumpti...

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Main Authors: Andrea De Iacovo, Gaetano Assanto, Lorenzo Colace
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-02-01
Series:Discover Energy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43937-025-00067-7
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author Andrea De Iacovo
Gaetano Assanto
Lorenzo Colace
author_facet Andrea De Iacovo
Gaetano Assanto
Lorenzo Colace
author_sort Andrea De Iacovo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the last three decades, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have represented a breakthrough innovation for optoelectronic applications. From optical communication to lighting and compact displays, LEDs are nowadays the device of choice in all those fields where high fluence, low power consumption and high pixel density are required. While LEDs are usually designed to maximize their performance in terms of light emission, they share the same materials and basic structure with solar cells. This similarity suggests to exploit LEDs in photovoltaic mode to be operated for harvesting energy from light in the environment. Despite the apparent simplicity of this approach, only a few examples to this extent are available in literature and several technical aspects of the corresponding implementation of LEDs as energy harvesters remain unexplored. Hereby, we report on recent progress in employing LEDs in the photovoltaic mode for energy harvesting and discuss future research directions, advocating increased efforts towards the exploitation of LEDs and LED-displays for the reduction of the energy footprint of portable appliances and electronic devices.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2730-7719
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publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Springer
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series Discover Energy
spelling doaj-art-d733ca4c3f314d59bf8b9bd877b0815c2025-02-09T13:00:41ZengSpringerDiscover Energy2730-77192025-02-015111110.1007/s43937-025-00067-7From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displaysAndrea De Iacovo0Gaetano Assanto1Lorenzo Colace2SDLab—Semiconductor Device Lab, Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre UniversityNooEL—Nonlinear Optics and OptoElectronics Lab, Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre UniversitySDLab—Semiconductor Device Lab, Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre UniversityAbstract In the last three decades, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have represented a breakthrough innovation for optoelectronic applications. From optical communication to lighting and compact displays, LEDs are nowadays the device of choice in all those fields where high fluence, low power consumption and high pixel density are required. While LEDs are usually designed to maximize their performance in terms of light emission, they share the same materials and basic structure with solar cells. This similarity suggests to exploit LEDs in photovoltaic mode to be operated for harvesting energy from light in the environment. Despite the apparent simplicity of this approach, only a few examples to this extent are available in literature and several technical aspects of the corresponding implementation of LEDs as energy harvesters remain unexplored. Hereby, we report on recent progress in employing LEDs in the photovoltaic mode for energy harvesting and discuss future research directions, advocating increased efforts towards the exploitation of LEDs and LED-displays for the reduction of the energy footprint of portable appliances and electronic devices.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43937-025-00067-7
spellingShingle Andrea De Iacovo
Gaetano Assanto
Lorenzo Colace
From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
Discover Energy
title From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
title_full From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
title_fullStr From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
title_full_unstemmed From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
title_short From source to sink: the path to efficient energy harvesting with LEDs and displays
title_sort from source to sink the path to efficient energy harvesting with leds and displays
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43937-025-00067-7
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