Photoluminescent phosphor powders, methods for making phosphor powders and devices incorporating same
AssigneeSuperior MicroPowders LLC
InventorsMark J. Hampden-Smith, Toivo T. Kodas, James Caruso, Daniel J. Skamser, Quint H. Powell, Klaus Kunze
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Abstract
Photoluminescent phosphor powders and a method for making phosphor powders. The phosphor powders have a small particle size, narrow particle size distribution and are substantially spherical. The method of the invention advantageously permits the economic production of such powders. The invention also relates to improved devices, such as display devices and lighting elements, incorporating the phosphor powders.
Claims27
A flowable medium suitable for applying photoluminescent phosphor particles onto a substrate, comprising:
- a) a liquid vehicle phase;
- and
- b) a functional phase dispersed throughout said vehicle phase, said functional phase comprising photoluminescent phosphor particles selected from the group consisting of yttrium-gadolinium borate, zinc silicate, barium magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate, wherein said phosphor particles are substantially spherical and have a weight average particle size of from about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm.
A paste composition suitable for applying phosphor particles onto a substrate, comprising:
- a) a liquid vehicle phase;
- and
- b) a functional phase dispersed throughout said vehicle phase, said functional phase comprising photoluminescent phosphor particles selected from the group consisting of yttrium-gadolinium borate, zinc silicate, barium magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate and having a weight average particle size of from about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm and a particle size distribution wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said particles are not larger than two times said average particle size.
A fluorescent lighting element, comprising:
- a) an excitation source;
- and
- b) a phosphor powder layer comprising photoluminescent phosphor particles adapted to be stimulated by said excitation source, wherein said phosphor particles have a substantially spherical morphology, a weight average particle size of from about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm and wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said particles are not larger than two times said average particle size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.