Rapid annealing of powder phosphors
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Cathey, Surjit S. Chadha, Charles M. Watkins
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Abstract
Powder phosphors are activated while their particle size is limited in growth to approximately 1 micron or less. The powder phosphors are rapidly annealed with one of a number of methods, including rapid thermal annealing, laser annealing, microwave annealing, and RF annealing.
Claims26
A method comprising annealing finely ground phosphor precursors at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. to about 1650.degree. C. for a time period of no more than 10 minutes to activate powder phosphors while maintaining the size of the phosphors at no greater than 1 micron in diameter each.
A method comprising annealing phosphor precursors at a temperature between about 800.degree. C. to about 1650.degree. C. for a sufficiently short period of time such that the resulting phosphor particles are activated, but are no more than 1 micron in diameter each as a result of the annealing without milling.
A method for activating red emitting powder phosphor comprising annealing oxalates at a sufficiently high temperature to activate the red emitting powder phosphor for a total of approximately 5 minutes.
A method for activating green emitting powder phosphor comprising annealing dried oxides at a sufficiently high temperature to activate the green emitting powder phosphor for a total of approximately 10 minutes.
A method for activating blue emitting powder phosphor comprising annealing dried oxides at a sufficiently high temperature to activate the blue emitting powder phosphor for a total of approximately 10 minutes.
A method for producing phosphor powders comprising mixing a host and an activator, wherein the host includes a compound selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, yttrium aluminum gallium oxide, and yttrium silicate, and annealing the mixture for a sufficiently short period of time so that the particles have a diameter no greater than 1 micron as a result of the annealing and without milling.
A method for producing phosphor powders comprising mixing a host and an activator, wherein the host includes a compound selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, yttrium aluminum gallium oxide, and yttrium silicate, and annealing at a temperature in the range of about 800.degree. C. to 1650.degree. C. for no more than 10 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.