| abstract |
A phosphor composition comprises a host lattice, a dopant and a decay modifying component different from the dopant and the host lattice and effective to alter the rate of decay of the radiation emitted by the phosphor composition in response to excitation by photons of a given energy. The decay modifying component is added to the phosphor composition in a predetermined amount between 1 and 10,000 parts per million of the composition. By varying the amount of the decay modifying component added to the phosphor composition, it is possible to produce a set of phosphor compositions with different, controlled rates of decay of the radiation emitted by the compositions. |