Kerala University secures patent for full-spectrum light-emitting material

Kerala University has secured a patent for an innovation in a light-emitting material that is capable of producing the full visible spectrum of colours from a single host material. The research holds wide-ranging applications including energy-efficient LED lighting, advanced display technologies, security and forensic tools, medical imaging and other optoelectronic devices.

The patent, which marks a significant advancement in optoelectronic research and sustainable lighting technology, has been granted to Sam Solomon, Head of the Department of Optoelectronics, and his Ph.D. student Divya Vijayan.

Conventional lighting systems typically rely on multiple materials to generate white light. However, the newly patented technology achieves seamless colour tuning and efficient white light emission through precise compositional control within a single material system. At the core of the breakthrough is a cuspidine-structured rare-earth gallate, a compound not previously used as a phosphor host. This establishes a new scientific platform for next-generation lighting solutions.

The newly developed phosphor material offers superior colour quality for lighting and display applications, improved energy efficiency and longer operational life compared to commercially available phosphors.

Prof. Solomon said the introduction of cuspidine-structured rare-earth gallate as a phosphor host opens a new pathway in lighting and optoelectronics research, and redefines performance benchmarks and expands the possibilities of light-based technologies.

According to an official release, the development also highlights the strengthening research ecosystem at the university. Following the establishment of a Translational Research and Incubation Centre in 2023 and a policy shift enabling closer coordination with the university’s Patent Cell, the institution has secured more than 24 patents over the past three years.