Luminus Devices, a company that wants to change the lighting systems in digital TVs and in buildings, has raised $72 million in its latest round of funding.

The company, which grew out of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, makes the Phlatlight LED (light-emitting diode), a type of LED that combines some of the qualities of both LEDs and lasers. The Phlat in Phlatlight stands for "photonic lattice structures." Basically, the lattice creates a situation where light can be precisely controlled (like a laser). The Phlatlight also can extract large amounts of light per watt, like an LED.
 
Luminus Devices' newest PhlatLight LED

About Luminus Devices

The company has been selling light sources to the projection TV business and now wants to move into supplying components to the LCD TV business. It makes sense. Projection TVs are dying off, and LCD manufacturers are moving toward LED as a light source. High-end manufacturers like Samsung and Sony, moreover, are looking for exotic technologies that can separate them from Polaroid, Vizio, and the other discount TV specialists. The company demonstrated a backlight for LCD TVs at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.