To celebrate the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015), and to promote the contribution and application of blue LED in the area of modern lighting and communications among the public, Macao Science Center (MSC) opens a new exhibition on blue LED and organizes and a Nobel Laureate Lecture today.

The opening ceremony of Blue LED Exhibition is held at the Lobby of MSC at noon today. Officiating guests include President of MSC, Mr. Lau Si Io; 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics, Professor of Materials Department, Solid State Lighting and Energy Center, University of California Santa Barbara, “Father of Blue LED”, Professor Shuji Nakamura; Director of Macao Association for Promotion of Science and Technology, Dr. José Chui; Curator of MSC, Mr. Pan Sio, and Director of Facilities Management, Hotel Operations of MGM Macau, Mr. Peter Chan. The Blue LED Exhibition covers the invention, principles, and applications of Blue LED, and the development of Blue LED technology in recent years. It will remain opened to public with free admission until May 6.

Following the opening ceremony of the Exhibition, Professor Shuji Nakamura then start his public lecture titled “Development of InGaN-based high brightness blue LED and future lighting” at the Convention Center. The lecture is conducted in English, and Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Macau, Professor C. L. Philip Chen, is invited to be the moderator of this lecture. Professor Nakamura begins the lecture by sharing his experience in winning the Nobel Prize last year, followed by a review of the challenges he encountered during his research on Blue LED. He emphasizes the significance of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) which is indispensable to high-brightness, the impact on gallium nitride (GaN) based, the application of LED in laser lighting and micro-display technology, and how to solve the LED efficiency and thermal droops that have been identified as key roadblocks to cost reduction and further improvements in solid state lighting. In addition, Professor Nakamura talks about his decision in choosing GaN as his research topic, and the hardships he encountered during the course of two-flow metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) experiment.

Professor Shuji Nakamura obtained B.E., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tokushima. Professor Nakamura is widely recognized for developing the first III-nitride-based blue/green LEDs and III-nitride-based violet laser diodes. Professor Nakamura joined the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is currently the Research Director of the Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center and The Cree Professor in Solid State Lighting and Display. His research includes MOCVD, UVPE, and growth and device fabrication of gallium nitride (GaN) light-emitters. He received the 2006 Millennium Technology Prize for his invention of revolutionary new energy-saving light sources and the 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics for the invention of efficient blue LEDs. By increasing the brightness of blue LED substantially and creating white LED, Professor Nakamura’s invention broke the technological bottleneck for the past decades. His invention brings to the world brighter and more energy-saving white light sources. Thus, he is a considered the revolutionist of the lighting industry.

This Nobel Laureate lecture is organized by Macao Science Center, and is co-organized by Macao Association for Promotion of Science and Technology. Also sponsored by MGM MACAU and supported by Macau Properties and Facilities Management Association and SORAA respectively.

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Macao Science Center Limited

24 April 2015                                                                                                          05-PR-PUB-15