High output RGB sources promise laser TV ‘by 2007′
Novalux says its new 750 mW red “Necsel” laser and 3 W green and blue models are paving the way for lasertv projection .
Novalux, Sunnyvale, Ca, has demonstrated its first Necsel laser arrays that emit more than 750 mW of red light. The company has also achieved a 3 W power output from its prototype blue and green arrays - double the power of previous devices.
The company says that these developments put Novalux on track to produce RGB (red, green, blue) Necsel lasers for integration into laser-based projection laserTV s.
“Demonstrating 750-mW red Necsel arrays, along with meeting our 3 W target for green and blue, are significant milestones in our evolution,” said Greg Niven, Novalux’s VP marketing. “Our customers want all-Necsel RGB devices for incorporation into laser-based home cinema systems.”
“Ultimately, this means 3 W per colour. Now that we’ve met the target with green and blue, red isn’t far behind and will soon be at the same level. We’re on track to support the TV companies’ desire to be selling high-definition laserTV s featuring Necsel laser color by Christmas 2007.”
Novalux say that Necsel RGB sources benefit TV manufacturers over other types of laser because they provide desirable output wavelengths and can cut overall system cost. Specifically, red Necsel arrays produce light at 620 nm - a wavelength that matches existing TV-screen phosphors.
Competing red edge-emitter laser technology can only go as low as 635 nm and has a relatively poor lifetime. In a Necsel system the same type of laser emits each of the three colors so they share the same device parameters. This uniformity results in simpler, more cost-efficient laser integration from drive electronics to imaging optics.
Novalux’s prototype Necsel devices emit 3 W at 465 nm and 532 nm and 750nbsp;mW at 620 nm - all from a new package smaller than a matchbox. Necsel lasers’ output is bright, speckle-free, and color-saturated, giving in clear, vibrant images that reach a larger color space than competing lighting technologies.
Novalux first introduced concept Necsel-based RPTVs during the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). These early units demonstrated the expanded color range and striking image contrast.
The company’s latest prototypes, shown during Society for Information Display (SID) 2006, demonstrated even higher brightness, color-balanced, speckle-free, high-definition images on 52 inch screens. Ultimately, Novalux aims to enable home theater systems that marry over 200% of NTSC color coverage, high-brightness, high-resolution images, a thin, wide viewing angle architecture, and unsurpassed light source lifetime.
About Novalux
Founded in 1998, Novalux has developed proprietary Necsel (Novalux Extended Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) technology. This combines mass volume manufacturability with excellent optical performance. Necsel device attributes include bright, reliable, consistent, speckle-free light output from a compact, low-cost package, making them ideal for current- and next-generation display applications.
About the author
Matthew Peach is a contributing editor to optics.org and Optics & Laser Europe
* Digital cinema
* Display Tech
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* Laser tv pricing
* Laser tv sizes
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* Necsel tech info
* Pocket Projection
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* Superior or not?
* What is Necsel