Granted Patent B2

US 7,252,787 · App. 10/910,991 · Granted Aug 7, 2007

Abstract

Claims (23)

1. A lighting apparatus for emitting white light comprising:

a light source emitting radiation at from about 250 nm to about 550 nm; and

a phosphor composition radiationally coupled to the light source, the phosphor composition comprising (Y 1-x-y-z Tb x Gd y Ce z ) 3 (M 1 M 2 ) t (Al 1-r-s Ga r In s ) A-2t O 12+D , where M 1 is Mg or Zn, M 2 is Si or Ge, 0<x+y<1, 0.01<z<0.1, 0.1<t<1.5, 0<r, s<0.5, 4.5<A<5.0, and −1<D<1.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) emitting radiation having a wavelength in the range of from about 350 to about 550 nm.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the LED comprises a nitride compound semiconductor represented by the formula In i Ga j Al k N, where 0≦i; 0≦j, 0≦K, and i+j+k=1.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source is an organic emissive structure.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the phosphor composition is coated on the surface of the light source.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an encapsulant surrounding the light source and the phosphor composition.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the phosphor composition is dispersed in the encapsulant.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reflector cup.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said phosphor composition comprises (Y 0.49 Gd 0.48 Ce 0.03 ) 3 (MgSi) 1.5 Al 2 O 12 .

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said phosphor composition further comprises one or more additional phosphor.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said one or more additional phosphors are selected from the group consisting of (Ba,Sr,Ca) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 (Cl,F,Br,OH):Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ,Sb 3+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)MgAl 10 O 17 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)BPO 5 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Sr,Ca) 10 (PO 4 ) 6 *nB 2 O 3 :Eu 2+ ; 2SrO*0.84P 2 O 5 *0.16B 2 O 3 :Eu 2+ ; Sr 2 Si 3 O 8 *2SrCl 2 :Eu 2+ ; Ba 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ ; Sr 4 A 14 O 25 :Eu 2+ ; BaAl 8 O 13 :Eu 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)Al 2 O 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Y,Gd,Lu,Sc,La)BO 3 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ; Ca 8 Mg(SiO 4 ) 4 Cl 2 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) 2 (Mg,Zn)Si 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ; (Sr,Ca,Ba)(Al,Ga,In) 2 S 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Y,Gd,Tb,La,Sm,Pr,Lu) 3 (Al,Ga) 5 O 12 :Ce 3+ ; (Ca,Sr) 8 (Mg,Zn)(SiO 4 ) 4 Cl 2 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; Na 2 Gd 2 B 2 O 7 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ; (Ba,Sr) 2 (Ca,Mg,Zn)B 2 O 6 :K,Ce,Tb; (Sr,Ca,Ba,Mg,Zn) 2 P 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ca,Sr,Ba,Mg) 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (F,Cl,Br,OH):Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La) 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La) 2 O 2 S:Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La)VO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Ca,Sr)S:Eu 2+ ; SrY 2 S 4 :Eu 2+ ; CaLa 2 S 4 :Ce 3+ ; 3.5MgO*0.5MgF 2 *GeO 2 :Mn 4+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)MgP 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Y,Lu) 2 WO 6 :Eu 3+ ,Mo 6+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) x Si y N z :Eu 2+ ; and (Sr,Ca,Ba) 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ .

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , further including a pigment, filter or other absorber capable of absorbing radiation generated between 250 nm and 450 nm.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said lighting apparatus has a CCT value from about 2500 to 10,000.

14. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said lighting apparatus has a CRI value of from about 70 to 95.

15. A phosphor composition comprising (Y 1-x-y-z Tb x Gd y Ce z ) 3 (M 1 M 2 ) t (Al 1-r-s Ga r In s ) A-2t O 12+D , where M 1 is Mg or Zn, M 2 is Si or Ge, 0<x+y<1, 0.01<z<0.1, 0.1<t<1.5, 0<r, s<0.5, 4.5<A<5.0, and −1<D<1.

16. The phosphor composition according to claim 15 comprising (Y 0.49 Gd 0.48 Ce 0.03 ) 3 (MgSi) 1.5 Al 2 O 12 .

17. The phosphor composition according to claim 15 , wherein said phosphor composition is capable of absorbing the radiation emitted by a light source emitting from 350-500 nm and emitting radiation that, when combined with said radiation from said light source, produces white light.

18. A phosphor blend including a first phosphor having the formula (Y 1-x-y-z Tb x Gd y Ce z ) 3 (M 1 M 2 ) t (Al 1-r-s Ga r In s ) A-2t O 12+D , where M 1 is Mg or Zn, M 2 is Si or Ge, 0<x+y<1, 0.01<z<0.1, 0.1<t<1.5, 0<r, s<0.5, 4.5<A<5.0, and −1<D<1, and a TAG:Ce phosphor.

19. The phosphor blend according to claim 17 , comprising (Y 0.49 Gd 0.48 Ce 0.03 ) 3 (MgSi) 1.5 Al 2 O 12 .

20. The phosphor blend according to claim 17 , further comprising one or more additional phosphors.

21. The phosphor blend according to claim 20 , wherein said one or more additional phosphors are selected from the group consisting of (Ba,Sr,Ca) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 (Cl,F,Br,OH):Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ,Sb 3+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)MgAl 10 O 17 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)BPO 5 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Sr,Ca) 10 (PO 4 ) 6 *nB 2 O 3 :Eu 2+ ; 2SrO*0.84P 2 O 5 *0.16B 2 O 3 :Eu 2+ ; Sr 2 Si 3 O 8 *2SrCl 2 :Eu 2+ ; Ba 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ ; Sr 4 Al 14 O 25 :Eu 2+ ; BaAl 8 O 13 :Eu 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)Al 2 O 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Y,Gd,Lu,Sc,La)BO 3 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ; Ca 8 Mg(SiO 4 ) 4 Cl 2 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) 2 (Mg,Zn)Si 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ; (Sr,Ca,Ba)(Al,Ga,In) 2 S 4 :Eu 2+ ; (Y,Gd,Tb,La,Sm,Pr,Lu) 3 (Al,Ga) 5 O 12 :Ce 3+ ; (Ca,Sr) 8 (Mg,Zn)(SiO 4 ) 4 Cl 2 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; Na 2 Gd 2 B 2 O 7 :Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ ; (Ba,Sr) 2 (Ca,Mg,Zn)B 2 O 6 :K,Ce,Tb; (Sr,Ca,Ba,Mg,Zn) 2 P 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Ca,Sr,Ba,Mg) 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (F,Cl,Br,OH):Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La) 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La) 2 O 2 S:Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Gd,Y,Lu,La)VO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ ; (Ca,Sr)S:Eu 2+ ; SrY 2 S 4 :Eu 2+ ; CaLa 2 S 4 Ce 3+ ; 3.5MgO*0.5MgF 2 *GeO 2 :Mn 4+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca)MgP 2 O 7 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ ; (Y,Lu) 2 WO 6 :Eu 3+ ,Mo 6+ ; (Ba,Sr,Ca) x Si y N z :Eu 2+ ; and (Sr,Ca,Ba) 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ .

Assignments (11)