| abstract |
The invention provides a β-sialon phosphor exhibiting higher luminance which is usable in vacuum fluorescent displays (VFD), field emission displays (FED), plasma display panels (PDP), cathode ray tubes (CRT), light emitting diodes (LED), and so on. A novel high-luminance β-sialon phosphor powder having an average aspect ratio of less than 1.5 can be obtained by mixing α-silicon nitride particles having particle diameters of 2μm or above and an average aspect ratio of 1.3 or below with an AlN-containing aluminum source substance and either an oxide of metal Ln or a precursor capable of being converted into the oxide through pyrolysis in such a way as to give a composition represented by the general formula: Si6-zAlzOzN8-z:Lnx (wherein 0<z<4.2 and Ln is Eu) and firing the obtained mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere under a pressure of 0.05 to 100MPa at 1700 to 2100°C. |