Japanese electronics maker Nichia has developed laser technology that could make LCD televisions 25% more energy efficient than LED-based TVs. The company's new laser system emitts blue and green laser light that is 1,000 times stronger than laser light created through conventional methods, while it uses less power. The semiconductor device is made of gallium nitride, the same material used in LEDs.

The directional light (uniform wavelength) coming out of a laser can be used to more efficiently illuminate liquid crystal display TVs and PC monitors with far less power that LEDs, which are typically used for backlighting. Nichia says that compatred to LEDs, the new laser used for a PC monitor consumes 50% less power.

Mitsubishi Electric and other companies have already developed red semiconductor lasers that can emit a strong light and equip TVs, but until now there had been no such system for green and blue lasers.

Nichia has begun shipping samples to consumer electronics makers and aims to commercialize the technology by 2016.