Question: Why are nano-wires used for things like LEDs? How does it make them more efficient than using larger componenet

Sabina Hatch answered on 11 Mar 2014:

There are a number of reasons we use nanowires in devices, but specifically for LEDs we use them because:

1. They provide a much larger surface area than a flat film. This means that with a larger surface area for electrons and holes to recombine to produce photons, we would get a higher intensity.

2. It provides a direct pathway for electrons/holes to travel. Because the nanowires are so thin, the electrons/holes only have one direction to travel. In a 2D thin film they can travel in the plane of the film instead of perpendicular to it. This means that the carriers in the nanowire can get to the depletion region (where holes and electrons recombine to produce light) much faster than in a thin film.

3. It means we can make very bright LEDs on a much smaller scale because we can use all the materials we need in a single nanowire. Therefore much less energy is required to produce the same amount of light.

4. One of the final points is that it is cheaper if we can use less material. As nanowires are a fraction of the amount used in a thin film, it means we are saving a significant amount of material. This means we can have much cheaper LEDs.