YELLOW EMITTING PHOSPHORS BASED ON Ce3+-DOPED ALUMINATE AND VIA SOLID SOLUTION FOR SOLID-STATE LIGHTING APPLICATIONS

An apparatus for solid state lighting applications, comprising:

• a light emitting diode (LED);
• and
• a Ce3+-based aluminate phosphor, positioned adjacent the LED, that emits light when excited by radiation from the LED, the yellow emitting Ce3+-based aluminate phosphor being defined as:
• (Sr1−yAy)2(La1−x−zRz)(Al1−uIIIu)O5:Ce3+x
• wherein 0<x≦0.3, A includes at least one element selected from alkaline earth metals in the periodic table, 0≦y≦1, R includes at least one element selected from lanthanide in the periodic table, 0≦z≦1, and III includes at least one element selected from Al, B, Ga, and 0<u≦1.

A method for creating a Ce3+-based aluminate phosphor defined as:

• (Sr1−yAy)2(La1−x−zRz)(Al1−uIIIu)O5:Ce3+x
• wherein 0<x≦0.3, 0≦y≦1, A includes at least one element selected from alkaline earth metals in the periodic table, 0≦z≦1, R includes at least one element selected from lanthanide in the periodic table, 0≦u≦1, and III includes at least one element selected from Al, B, Ga, and In,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• mixing stoichiometric amounts of carbonate or oxide of alkaline earth metals (M), alumina (Al2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) to create a mixture;
• and
• heating the mixture to create the Ce3+-based aluminate phosphor.

A phosphor composition, comprising:

• (La1−x−(y+w)−zREz)(Sr1−u+(y+w)Au)2(Al1−(y+w)−v IIIvSiy+wIVw)O5:Ce3+x
• wherein:
• 0<x≦0.3;
• 0≦u≦1;
• A includes at least one alkaline earth metal;
• 0≦z≦1;
• RE includes at least one lanthanide;
• 0≦v≦1;
• III includes at least one atom selected from Al, B, Ga, and In;
• 0≦w≦1;
• IV includes at least one atom selected from Ge and Sn;
• and
• 0≦y+w<1.

A method for fabricating a phosphor composition, defined as:

• (La1−x−(y+w)−zREz)(Sr1−u+(y+w)Au)2(Al1−(y+w)−vIIIvSiy+wIVw)O5:Ce3+x
• wherein 0<x≦0.3;
• 0≦u≦1;
• A includes at least one alkaline earth metal;
• 0≦z≦1;
• RE includes at least one lanthanide;
• 0≦v≦1;
• III includes at least one atom selected from Al, B, Ga, and In;
• 0≦w≦1;
• IV includes at least one atom selected from Ge and Sn;
• and 0<y+w<1, the method comprising the steps of:
• mixing SrCO3, La2O3, Al2O3, SiO2, and CeO2 in stoichiometric amounts to form a mixture;
• and
• heating the mixture between 1000 and 1700° C. in a reduction atmosphere to form the phosphor composition.