Display device with solid state fluorescent material

1. A display device ( 100 ) comprising a plurality of lighting units ( 101 ), each lighting unit comprising at least one light emitting diode ( 202 ) being provided with a fluorescent element ( 203 ) arranged to absorb at least part of the light emitted by said light emitting diode and emit light of a wavelength range different from that of the absorbed light,

said fluorescent element ( 203 ) comprising at least one phosphor being an europium(II)-activated halogeno-oxonitridosilicate of the general formula Ea x Si y N 2/3x+4/3y :Eu z O a X b , wherein:

1≦x≦2; 3≦y≦7; 0.001<z≦0.09, 0.005<a≦0.05, 0.01<b≦0.3;

Ea is at least one earth alkaline metal chosen from the group of calcium, barium and strontium; and

X is at least one halogen chosen from the group of fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.

2. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein said fluorescent element is a ceramic material comprising said at least one phosphor.

3. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein said fluorescent element comprises particles of said at least one phosphor dispersed in a polymer matrix.

4. A display device according to claim 1 , comprising at least a first diode emitting light of a first color being provided with a first fluorescent element and at least a second diode emitting light of a second color being provided with a second fluorescent element,

wherein said first fluorescent element is of a first thickness, said second fluorescent element is of a second thickness, and

said first and second light emitting diodes provides total light of the same color.

5. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein said fluorescent element ( 203 ) further comprises at least one additional phosphor.

6. A display device according to claim 5 , wherein said additional phosphor is selected from the group consisting of:

blue phosphors comprised in the group consisting of BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu, Ba 5 SiO 4 (Cl,Br) 6 :Eu, CaLn 2 S 4 :Ce, (Sr,Ba,Ca) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl:Eu and LaSi 3 N 5 :Ce;

red phosphors comprised in the group consisting of (Ca 1-x Sr x )S:Eu, wherein 0≦x≦1 and (Sr 1-x-y Ba x Ca y ) 2-z Si 5-a Al a N 8-a O a :Eu z , wherein 0≦a<5, 0<x≦1, 0≦y≦1 and 0<z≦0.09; and

yellow to green phosphors comprised in the group consisting of (Ba 1-x Sr x ) 2 SiO 4 : Eu, wherein 0≦x≦1, SrGa 2 S 4 :Eu, SrSi 2 N 2 O 2 :Eu, Ln 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce and YAG-Ce.

7. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein said lighting unit ( 101 ) comprises at least a first light emitting diode ( 312 ) and a second light emitting diode ( 322 ) of the same semiconductor material, wherein at least one of said first and second light emitting diodes is provided with a fluorescent element.

8. A display device according to claim 7 , wherein said first light emitting diode ( 312 ) is provided with a first fluorescent element ( 313 ) for providing total light of a first wavelength range; and

said second light emitting diode ( 322 ) is provided with a second fluorescent element ( 323 ) for providing total light of a second wavelength range.

9. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein said fluorescent element(s) comprises light scattering portions.

10. A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display device, comprising a display device according to claim 1 .

11. A liquid crystal display device comprising a backlight unit according to claim 10 .