IP Library Granted Patent US 7,273,568
Granted Patent B2
US 7,273,568 · App. 10/922,085 · Granted Sep 25, 2007

Phosphor and production method of the same, method of shifting emission wavelength of phosphor, and light source and LED

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,273,568
App. No.
10/922,085
Granted
Sep 25, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A phosphor including a main production phase of a phosphor expressed by a composition formula of MmAaBbOoNn:Zz (where an element M is one or more bivalent elements, an element A is one or more trivalent elements, an element B is one or more tetravalent elements, O is oxygen, N is nitrogen, an element Z is an activator, n=2/3m+a+4/3b−2/3o, m/(a+b)≧1/2, (o+n)/(a+b)>4/3, wherein m=a=b=1 and o and n is not 0). A phosphor including 24 wt % to 30 wt % of Ca (calcium), 17 wt % to 21 wt % of Al (aluminum), 18 wt % to 22 wt % of Si (silicon), 1 wt % to 15 wt % of oxygen, 15 wt % to 33 wt % of nitrogen and 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % of Eu (europium), wherein an emission maximum in an emission spectrum is in a range of 600 nm to 660 nm; and wherein color chromaticity x of light emission is in a range of 0.5 to 0.7, and color chromaticity y of the light emission is in a range of 0.3 to 0.5.

Claims (53)

1. A phosphor comprising a main production phase of a phosphor expressed by a composition formula of MmAaBbOoNn:Zz (where an element M is one or more bivalent elements, an element A is one or more trivalent elements, an element B is one or more tetravalent elements, O is oxygen, N is nitrogen, an element Z is an activator, n=2/3m+a+4/3b−2/3o, wherein m=a=b=1 and o and n is not 0).

2. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein 0<o≦m, and 0.0001≦z/(m+z)≦0.5.

3. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the element M is one or more elements selected from Mg (magnesium), Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium) and Zn (zinc), the element A is one or more elements selected from B (boron), Al (aluminum) and Ga (gallium), the element B is Si (silicon) and/or Ge (germanium), and the element Z is one or more elements selected from rare earth or transition metals.

4. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the element A is Al (aluminum), and the element B is Si (silicon).

5. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the element Z is at least one or more elements selected from Eu (europium), Mn (manganese), Sm (samarium) and Ce (cerium).

6. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the element Z is Eu (europium).

7. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein said phosphor is in a powder form.

8. The phosphor according to claim 7 , wherein an average particle size of the phosphor in the powder form is from 0.1 μm to 20 μm inclusive.

9. A phosphor comprising the main production phase of the phosphor expressed by the composition formula of MmAaBbOoNn:Zz (where an element M is one or more bivalent elements, an element A is one or more trivalent elements, an element B is one or more tetravalent elements, O is oxygen, N is nitrogen, an element Z is an activator, n=2/3m+a+4/3b−2/3o, m/(a+b)≧1/2,(o+n)/(a+b)>4/3, and none of m, a, b, o, n is equal to 0),

said phosphor including said oxygen by 3 wt % or less with respect to a mass of the main production phase of the phosphor.

10. The phosphor according to claim 9 , satisfying m=a=b=1.

11. The phosphor according to claim 9 , satisfying 0<o≦m, and 0.0001≦z/(m+z)≦0.5.

12. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein the element M is one or more elements selected form Mg (magnesium), Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium), and Zn (zinc), the element A is one or more elements selected from B (boron), Al (aluminum) and Ga (gallium), the element B is Si (silicon) and/or Ge (germanium), and the element Z is one or more elements selected from rare earth and transition metals.

13. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein the element A is Al (aluminum), and the element B is Si (silicon).

14. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein the element Z is at least one or more elements selected from Eu (europium), Mn (manganese), Sm (samarium), and Ce (cerium).

15. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein the element Z is Eu (europium).

16. A phosphor comprising 24 wt % to 30 wt % of Ca (calcium), 17 wt % to 21 wt % of Al (aluminum), 18 wt % to 22 wt % of Si (silicon), 1 wt % to 15 wt % of oxygen, 15 wt % to 33 wt % of nitrogen and 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % of Eu (europium),

wherein an emission maximum in an emission spectrum is in a range of 600 nm to 660 nm; and

wherein color chromaticity x of light emission is in a range of 0.5 to 0.7, and color chromaticity y of the light emission is in a range of 0.3 to 0.5.

17. A manufacturing method of the phosphor according to claim 1 , comprising:

as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen;

mixing the compound thus prepared and baking a mixture thereof; and

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of said phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen.

18. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 1 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof, as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen; and

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of said phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength.

19. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 1 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof, controlling a compounding amount of the element Z, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength.

20. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 1 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof, as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen;

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of the phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength; and

controlling a compounding amount of the element Z, and thereby sifting the emission wavelength.

21. A light source comprising the phosphor according to claim 1 , and a light emitting portion emitting light of a predetermined wavelength, wherein a part of the light of the predetermined wavelength is set to be an excitation source, and said phosphor is made to emit light of a different wavelength from the predetermined wavelength.

22. The light source according to claim 21 , the predetermined wavelength is a wavelength of any one of 250 nm to 600 nm.

23. An LED comprising the phosphor according to claim 1 , and a light emitting portion emitting light of a predetennined wavelength, wherein a part of the light of the predetermined wavelength is set to be an excitation source, and said phosphor is made to emit light of a different wavelength from the predetermined wavelength.

24. The LED according to claim 23 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is a wavelength of any one of 250 nm to 600 nm.

25. A manufacturing method of the phosphor according to claim 7 , comprising:

as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen;

mixing the compound thus prepared and baking a mixture thereof; and

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of said phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen.

26. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 7 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof, as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen; and

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of said phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength.

27. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 7 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof controlling a compounding amount of the element Z, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength.

28. A method of shifting an emission wavelength of the phosphor according to claim 7 , comprising:

in a manufacturing step of mixing raw materials and baking a mixture thereof as a raw material of at least one element selected from the element M, element A and element B, preparing a compound having the element and oxygen, and a compound having the element and nitrogen; and

controlling an oxygen concentration included in the main production phase of said phosphor by compounding of the compound having the element and oxygen and the compound having the element and nitrogen, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength, and

controlling a compounding amount of the element Z, and thereby shifting the emission wavelength.

29. A light source, comprising the phosphor according to claim 7 , and a light emitting portion emitting light of a predetermined wavelength, wherein a part of the light of the predetermined wavelength is set to be an excitation source, and said phosphor is made to emit light of a different wavelength from the predetermined wavelength.

30. The light source according to claim 29 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is a wavelength of any one of 250 nm to 600 nm.

31. An LED comprising the phosphor according to claim 7 , and a light emitting portion emitting light of a predetermined wavelength, wherein a part of the light of the predetermined wavelength is set to be an excitation source, and said phosphor is made to emit light of a different wavelength from the predetermined wavelength.

32. The LED according to claim 31 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is a wavelength of any one of 250 nm to 600 nm.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S ADDRESS, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL 021304, FRAME 0560. Recorded Aug 7, 2008
From: DOWA ELECTRONICS MATERIALS CO., LTD.
To: NICHIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021502/0686 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2008
From: DOWA ELECTRONICS MATERIALS CO., LTD.
To: NICHIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021304/0560 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2007
From: DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: DOWA ELECTRONICS MATERIALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 019831/0057 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 13, 2007
From: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
To: DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 019830/0880 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2004
From: NAGATOMI, AKIRA; GOTOH, MASAHIRO; SAKANE, KENJI; YAMASHITA, SHUJI
To: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 015479/0325 →