Nitride phosphor and production process thereof, and light emitting device

• US 7,556,744 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Tamaki, Hiroto, Kameshima, Masatoshi, Takashima, Suguru
• Primary Examiner(s): KOSLOW, CAROL M
• Application Number:
  US11/905,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 252/301.4 F, 252/301.6 F, 313/503, 257/98
• US Class Current: 252/301.40F
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 21/0602 with two or more other elements chosen from metals, silicon or boron
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 21/0821 Oxynitrides of metals, boron or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/52 containing elements as dopants
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/84 by UV- or VIS- data
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/03 obtained by SEM
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3224 Rare earth oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. scandium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3225 Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3227 Lanthanum oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3229 Cerium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3286 Gallium oxides, gallates, indium oxides, indates, thallium oxides, thallates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc gallate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3852 Nitrides, e.g. oxynitrides, carbonitrides, oxycarbonitrides, lithium nitride, magnesium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3873 Silicon nitrides, e.g. silicon carbonitride, silicon oxynitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3895 Non-oxides with a defined oxygen content, e.g. SiOC, TiON
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/764 Garnet structure A3B2(CO4)3
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/44 based on aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/584 based on silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/597 based on silicon oxynitride, e.g. SIALONS
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/0883 Arsenides; Nitrides; Phosphides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/77 containing rare earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7702 : with zinc or cadmium
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7703 : with alkaline earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7728 : containing europium
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/773 : with zinc or cadmium
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7731 : with alkaline earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 : the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 : being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 : Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45139 : Silver (Ag) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 : Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45169 : Platinum (Pt) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48257 : connecting the wire to a die pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48464 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a ball bond, i.e. ball-to-ball
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49107 : on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 : Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 : Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01021 : Scandium [Sc]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01037 : Rubidium [Rb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01049 : Indium [In]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01055 : Cesium [Cs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01066 : Dysprosium [Dy]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01067 : Holmium [Ho]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20751 : larger or equal to 10 microns less than 20 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20752 : larger or equal to 20 microns less than 30 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20753 : larger or equal to 30 microns less than 40 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20754 : larger or equal to 40 microns less than 50 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 : Wavelength conversion materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 : Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

To provide a phosphor containing a comparatively much red component and having high light emitting efficiency, high brightness and further high durability, the nitride phosphor is represented by the general formula L_XM_YN_{((2/3)X+(4/3)Y)}:R or L_XM_YO_ZN_{((2/3)X+(4/3)Y-(2/3)Z)}:R (wherein L is at least one or more selected from the Group II Elements consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn, M is at least one or more selected from the Group IV Elements in which Si is essential among C, Si and Ge, and R is at least one or more selected from the rare earth elements in which Eu is essential among Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Lu.); contains the another elements.

Claims

1. A nitride phosphor which absorbs at least a portion of light having the first luminescence spectrum and emits light having the second luminescence spectrum which is different from said first luminescence spectrum, the nitride phosphor being an L₂Si₅N₈:

Eu, WR-base phosphor or an LSi₇N₁₀;

Eu, WR-base phosphor (wherein L is at least one or more elements selected from the Group II Elements consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn, N is nitrogen, Eu is europium, WR is a rare earth element other than Eu).

2. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1,

wherein said phosphor contains at least one or more elements among Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Lu as above-mentioned WR.

3. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, wherein an amount of said WR added is not exceeding 10.0% by weight.

4. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, further comprising Mn.

5. The nitride phosphor according to claim 4,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.001 to 0.3 mol based on said L.

6. The nitride phosphor according to claim 4,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.0025 to 0.03 mol based on said L.

7. The nitride phosphor according to claim 4,

wherein the amount of Mn is 5000 ppm or less.

8. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, further comprising at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Sr, Ba, Zn, Ca, Ga, In, B, Al, Cu, Li, Na, K, Re, Ni, Cr, Mo, O and Fe.

9. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, of which particle size is 3 μ

m or greater.

10. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, wherein a part of N is substituted by O.

11. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10,

wherein said phosphor contains at least one or more elements among Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Lu as above-mentioned WR.

12. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10,

wherein an amount of said WR added is not exceeding 10.0% by weight.

13. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10,

wherein the content of said O is not exceeding 3.0% by weight of the total composition.

14. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10, further comprising Mn.

15. The nitride phosphor according to claim 14,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.001 to 0.3 mol based on said L.

16. The nitride phosphor according to claim 14,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.0025 to 0.03 mol based on said L.

17. The nitride phosphor according to claim 14,

wherein the amount of Mn is 5000 ppm or less.

18. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10, further comprising at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ga, In, B, Al, Cu, Li, Na, K, Re, Ni, Cr, Mo, O and Fe.

19. The nitride phosphor according to claim 10, of which particle size is 3 μ

m or greater.

20. The nitride phosphor according to claim 1, wherein L is at least one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ca and Sr.

21. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20,

wherein said phosphor contains at least one or more elements among Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Lu as above-mentioned WR.

22. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20,

wherein an amount of said WR added is not exceeding 10.0% by weight.

23. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20, further comprising Mn.

24. The nitride phosphor according to claim 23,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.001 to 0.3 mol based on said L.

25. The nitride phosphor according to claim 23,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.0025 to 0.03 mol based on said L.

26. The nitride phosphor according to claim 23,

wherein the amount of Mn is 5000 ppm or less.

27. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20, further comprising at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ca, Ga, In, B, Al, Cu, Li, Na, K, Re, Ni, Cr, Mo, O and Fe.

28. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20, of which particle size is 3 μ

m or greater.

29. The nitride phosphor according to claim 20, wherein a part of N is substituted by O.

30. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29,

wherein said phosphor contains at least one or more elements among Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Lu as above-mentioned WR.

31. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29,

wherein an amount of said WR added is not exceeding 10.0% by weight.

32. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29,

wherein the content of said O is not exceeding 3.0% by weight of the total composition.

33. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29, further comprising Mn.

34. The nitride phosphor according to claim 33,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.001 to 0.3 mol based on said L.

35. The nitride phosphor according to claim 33,

wherein the additional amount of said Mn is in a range of 0.0025 to 0.03 mol based on said L.

36. The nitride phosphor according to claim 33,

wherein the amount of Mn is 5000 ppm or less.

37. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29, further comprising at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Sr, Ba, Zn, Ca, Ga, In, B, Al, Cu, Li, Na, K, Re, Ni, Cr, Mo, O and Fe.

38. The nitride phosphor according to claim 29, of which particle size is 3 μ

m or greater.

39. A light emitting device comprising;

a light emitting element which emits light having a first luminescence spectrum and a phosphor which absorbs at least a portion of light of said first luminescence spectrum and emits light having a second luminescence spectrum which is different from said first luminescence spectrum, the nitride phosphor being an L₂Si₅N₈;

Eu, WR-base phosphor or an LSi₇N₁₀;

Eu, WR-based phosphor (wherein L is at least one or more elements selected from the Group II Elements consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn, N is nitrogen, Eu is europium, WR is a rare earth element other than Eu).

40. The light emitting device according to claim 39,

wherein said phosphor comprises at least one selected from the group comprising a yttrium-aluminum oxide phosphor activated by cerium, a yttrium-gadolinium-aluminum oxide phosphor activated by cerium, and a yttrium-gallium-aluminum oxide phosphor activated by cerium.