A QUANTUM LEAP FOR LIGHTING
A QUANTUM LEAP quantum leap n. An abrupt change or step, especially in method, information, or knowledge: "War was going to take a quantum leap; it would never be the same" Garry Wills. FOR LIGHTING
Compact fluorescent lights are leading the race to replace the incandescent in·can·des·cent adj. 1. Emitting visible light as a result of being heated.
2. Shining brilliantly; very bright. See Synonyms at bright.
3. bulb bulb, thickened, fleshy plant bud, usually formed under the surface of the soil, which carries the plant over from one blooming season to another. It may have many fleshy layers (as in the onion and hyacinth) or thin dry scales (as in some lilies)—both of which . But while efficient, CFL CFL Canadian Football League light can be harsh. Ditto for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which use even less power but are more costly. QD Vision, a Watertown (Mass.) startup, says it can lower energy use and improve light quality by combining LEDs with tiny synthetic crystals they call quantum dots (physics) quantum dot - (Or "single-electron transistor") A location capable of containing a single electrical charge; i.e., a single electron of Coulomb charge. Physically, quantum dots are nanometer-size semiconductor structures in which the presence or absence of a quantum . Measuring just 5 billionths of a meter wide, the crystals glow when excited by a trickle of electricity. QD Vision and its partner, Nexxus Lighting, are coming out with a $100 bulb that uses 12 watts, matches the output of a 75-watt incandescent bulb and can last 50 times longer. The device is aimed at retailers who want to cut their energy use and lower the labor costs of replacing bulbs. With funds from the U.S. Energy Dept. and the U.S. Army, QD Vision is also developing flexible light sources and large displays made with its quantum dots.
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