At present, we received about 50% luminous efficiency.

Finally we were able to exceed fireflies. We are now studying structures to glow in different colors and those that glow more efficiently. Toward the future, we wil l

promote experiments to have them glow in white.

What are the applications for the future?

At present, chemiluminescence is mainly used in the medical field, making use of such advantages as “no heat emission” and “no power requirement.” In the future, it is

anticipated to be in wide used in human-friendly “healing light.”

Luminous efficiency of fireflies

41％Railroad worm

Firefly squid

Luminous efficiency of aequorea coerulescens

23％

3

Light-emitting mushroom

Luminous efficiencies of living things are high, and the efficiency of fireflies is said to be the highest.

●What is luminous efficiency? If 100 dioxetane structures are destroyed and turned into 100 pieces of light, then the luminous efficiency is 100%.

Chromophores receive energy released at the moment a dioxetane structure i s d e s t ro y e d a n d c o n v e r t it to l ight. If the amount of chromophores that cannot receive the energy is large, luminous efficiency drops.

Fireflies, aequorea coerulescens and other light-producing creatures commonly have the ability to create a “dioxetane structure” in their body. By destroying the structure, life forms can glow. They also can reproduce the destroyed structure. Thanks to this ability they can continue to glow.

There aremany types ofchromophores

The theory is the same as that of a glowing ring used in festivals

Produce light at this moment

Dioxetane structure

Regeneration

Substances in the body + enzyme

Destruction

Mechanism of bioluminescence

Let’s expect new light of the future

I’ll receive lots

I’ll receive a normal amount

I can’t receive so many

chromophores

If combined with chromophores that can receive much energy, the color will be blue. If they receive few, the color will be closer to red

The fewer chromophores receive energy, the lower the luminous efficiency will become

No, thank you

Here you go

Chromophores not receiving energy

Mix an initiator to destroy dioxetane.2

Destroy

Initiator

Initiator

The more chromophores receive energy, the higher the luminous efficiency will become

sparkle

Thanks

Here you go

Heat

Chromophores receiving energy

The amount of energy can receivedetermines the glowing color

In the natural world, there are light-producing creatures like fireflies and jellyfish. Such a phenomenon is called “bioluminescence.” Learning from the bioluminescence mechanism and artificially producing light with a chemical reaction is called “chemiluminescence.” Since around 2000, Stanley Electric has being promoting a joint research activity with Professor Matsumoto's laboratory at Kanagawa University. In this installment, we introduce

human-friendly “healing light,” that was learned from nature.

Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence

High luminous efficiency of living things is proof that superior creatures have survived through tens of thousands of years.

What has chemiluminescence

learned from bioluminescence?

● Production assistance : R&D Center

Why does a firefly glow!? The key to the glow is “dioxetane”

Artificially made dioxetane structures are combined with chromophores and an organic solvent to create basic cores.

1

Basic structure (blue emission)Chromophores

Dioxetane Structures with high strain energy

Molecular structure to serve as source of light-emission Liquid made of organic

substances, not water

There are many light-emitting molecules contained in it

Organic solvent