SECOND PHOTON VISIBLE EMITTING PHOSPHOR AND DEVICE UTILIZING SAME

• US 3,599,109 A
• Filed: 04/16/1969
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Howard J. Guggenheim, Leo F. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Howard J. Guggenheim, Leo F. Johnson
• Inventors: Guggenheim, Howard J., Johnson, Leo F.
• Application Number:
  US04/816,734
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• US Class Current: 372/41
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7773 with alkali or alkaline earth metal
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2/02 Frequency-changing of light, e.g. by quantum counters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0933 of a semiconductor, e.g. light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1688 Stoichiometric laser compounds, i.e. in which the active element forms one component of a stoichiometric formula rather than being merely a dopant

Abstract

Light output in the visible spectrum results from up conversion of infrared radiation within a composition illustrated by erbiumdoped BaYbF5. The composition may be used as a coating on an infrared-emitting GaAs diode.

Claims

1. Device for emitting visible light comprising a mass of the composition of matter consisting essentially of a material which may be represented by the approximate formula Ba(MxREyYb1 x y) X2 3 in which M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Lu, Gd, Ce, Sc, La, Ga, In and A1, RE is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Er and Ho, X is at least one halogen, x is from 0 to 0.95, y is from 0.01 to 0.3 and Alpha is from 0.05 to 4 together with means for irradiating said mass with infrared radiation.

2. Device of claim 1 in which RE is Er, X is F, x is from 0 to 0.82, y is from 0.03 to 0.2, and Alpha is from 0.4 to 3.

3. Device of claim 2 in which M is Y and in which Alpha is from 0.6 to 1.5.

4. Device of claim 3 in which Alpha is equal to 1 + or - 10 percent.

5. Device of claim 1 in which said means is at least one GaAs diode.

6. Device of claim 5 in which said mass constitutes a layer adjacent to an emitting surface of said diode.

7. Device of claim 6 in which said layer is adherent to said diode.

8. Device of claim 1 in which said mass is a single crystal.

9. Device of claim 8 in which said means constitutes at least one GaAs diode.

10. Device of claim 9 in which said crystal is of such configuration as to permit gain of electromagnetic radiation of a visible wavelength.

11. Device of claim 10 in which said crystal constitutes a Fabry-Perot cavity.