Li-Fi replaces Wi-Fi: speeds up to 224 gbps via visible light

Researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science have developed a new high-speed wireless data transmission platform based on Li-Fi, a technology that uses light instead of radio waves. It achieves speeds up to 224 Gbps—100 times faster than traditional Wi-Fi.

However, Li-Fi remains vulnerable to unauthorized access. To improve security, a team led by Professor Himchan Cho and Dr. Kyung-In Lim developed a device with built-in encryption, using eco-friendly quantum dots.

The triode light-emitting device converts two data streams into light while simultaneously encoding them. It achieved an external quantum efficiency of 17.4% (with a commercial standard around 20%) and a brightness of 29,000 nits.

To better understand its operation, the researchers conducted transient electroluminescence analysis, tracking charge behavior within the device over hundreds of nanoseconds. The results were published in Advanced Materials.