α-SrNCN:Eu2+ - A Novel Efficient Orange-Emitting Phosphor

Yellow Eu2+-doped strontium carbodiimide, SrNCN: Eu2+, adopting the alpha-SrNCN structure type was obtained by the reaction of SrI2, EuI2, CsN3 and CsCN in arc-welded Ta ampules. The product was characterized by high-resolution X-ray powder diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Even at room temperature alpha-SrNCN:Eu2+ shows a strong orange emission peaking at 603 nm which is excitable by energies below 25 000 cm(-1). The little change of the optical properties with increasing temperature is rather unexpected and leads to the assumption that this material is a promising candidate for future phosphor converted LEDs as well as a key compound for the understanding of the influence of the host lattice on the luminescence properties of Eu2+-doped materials.