| abstract |
A fluorophor comprising, as a main component, an α-type sialon crystal which contains at least an A element (wherein A represents one or more elements selected from among Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Er, Tm and Yb), an M element (wherein M represents one or more elements selected from among Li, Na, Mg, Ca, Y, La, Gd and Lu), Si, Al, oxygen and nitrogen, and is represented by the general formulae: (M x , A y )(Si 12−(m+n) Al m+n )(O n N 16−n ) (1) m=δ M ×x+δ A ×y (2) 0.2≦x≦2.4 (3) 0.001≦y≦0.4 (4) and 0.5×m<n≦4 (5). The fluorophor is reduced in the lowering of brightness, and is useful for a white color LED and the like. |