Phosphor and light-emitting equipment using phosphor
Phosphors include a CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.
1. A phosphor, comprising a CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase, wherein:
the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase has a crystal structure belonging to the Cmc2 1 space group; and
the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises:
at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb;
at least one divalent element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba;
at least one trivalent element selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Gd, and Lu; and
at least one tetravalent element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf.
2. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises an inorganic compound having an X-ray diffraction pattern exhibiting at least ten peaks present in the X-ray diffraction pattern of CaAlSiN 3 .
3. The phosphor according to claim 2 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises an inorganic compound having lattice constants that differ from lattice constants of CaAlSiN 3 due to replacement of at least one constituent element of CaAlSiN 3 with at least one other element.
4. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises at least Eu, Ca, Sr, Al, Si, and N.
5. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises at least O and N.
6. The phosphor according to claim 4 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises at least O and N.
7. The phosphor according to claim 5 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises O and N in amounts satisfying:
0.5≦(number of atoms of N)/{(number of atoms of N)+(number of atoms of O)}≦1.
8. The phosphor according to claim 6 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises O and N in amounts satisfying:
0.5≦(number of atoms of N)/{(number of atoms of N)+(number of atoms of O)}≦1.
9. The phosphor according to claim 4 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises Ca and Sr in amounts satisfying:
0.02≦(number of atoms of Ca)/{(number of atoms of Ca)+(number of atoms of Sr)}<1.
10. The phosphor according to claim 6 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises Ca and Sr in amounts satisfying:
0.02≦(number of atoms of Ca)/{(number of atoms of Ca)+(number of atoms of Sr)}<1.
11. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase has a composition given by:
M a A b D c E d X e
wherein:
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb;
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba;
D is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf;
E is at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Gd, and Lu;
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, N, and F;
a+b= 1;
0.00001≦ a≦ 0.1;
0.5≦ c≦ 1.8;
0.5≦ d≦ 1.8;
0.8×(⅔+4/3× c+d )≦ e ; and
e≦ 1.2×(⅔+4/3× c+d ).
12. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a peak emission intensity at a wavelength of from 570 nm to 700 nm.
13. The phosphor according to claim 4 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a peak emission intensity at a wavelength of from 570 nm to 700 nm.
14. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a peak emission intensity at a wavelength of from 570 nm to 700 nm.
15. The phosphor according to claim 11 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a peak emission intensity at a wavelength of from 570 nm to 700 nm.
16. The phosphor according to claim 1 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a color satisfying:
0.45≦ x≦ 0.7
as a value of (x, y) on the CIE chromaticity coordinates.
17. The phosphor according to claim 4 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a color satisfying:
0.45≦ x≦ 0.7
as a value of (x, y) on the CIE chromaticity coordinates.
18. The phosphor according to claim 9 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a color satisfying:
0.45≦ x≦ 0.7
as a value of (x, y) on the CIE chromaticity coordinates.
19. The phosphor according to claim 11 , wherein, when irradiated by an excitation source, the phosphor emits light having a color satisfying:
0.45≦ x≦ 0.7
as a value of (x, y) on the CIE chromaticity coordinates.
20. A phosphor, comprising a solid solution crystal phase, wherein:
the solid solution crystal phase is a CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase having a crystal structure belonging to the Cmc2 1 space group; and
the CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase comprises:
at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu;
at least one divalent element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba;
at least one trivalent element selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Gd, and Lu; and
at least one tetravalent element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf.
21. A phosphor, comprising an inorganic compound, wherein:
the inorganic compound comprises M, A, D, E, and X;
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb;
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of divalent metal elements other than M;
D is at least one element selected from the group consisting of tetravalent metal elements;
E is at least one element selected from the group consisting of trivalent metal elements;
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0, N, and F; and
the inorganic compound comprises a CaAlSiN 3 family crystal phase having a crystal structure belonging to the Cmc2 1 space group.
22. The phosphor according to claim 21 , wherein the inorganic compound has lattice constants that differ from lattice constants of CaAlSiN 3 due to replacement of at least one constituent element of CaAlSiN 3 with at least one other element.
23. The phosphor according to claim 21 , wherein the inorganic compound comprises Sr.
24. The phosphor according to claim 23 , wherein the inorganic compound comprises Ca and Sr in amounts satisfying:
0.02≦(number of atoms of Ca)/{(number of atoms of Ca)+(number of atoms of Sr)}<1.