Elaboration by spray pyrolysis and characterization in the VUV range of phosphor particles with spherical shape and micronic size

Y2O3 : Eu and Zn2SiO4 : Mn are the red and green phosphors actually used in plasma display panels. These phosphors have been prepared by spray pyrolysis synthesis and thermal post-treatments. Their optical properties in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) energy range have been investigated. The absorption coefficients have been extracted from electron energy loss spectroscopy. The luminescence properties of phosphors from spray pyrolysis have been characterized under UV or VUV excitations with different dedicated experimental set-ups: excitation spectroscopy, measurements of luminescence efficiencies under Hg lamp, pure Xe and Ne-Xe discharges, determinations of luminescence decay times under plasma excitation. The characteristics have been compared with those of corresponding commercial phosphors.