α-SiAlON, light-emitting device and use thereof

• US 9,024,519 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Nomiyama, Tomohiro, Kawagoe, Mitsuru, Yamada, Suzuya, Nonogaki, Ryozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US13/981,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20130293093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• US Class Current: 313/503
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/0883 Arsenides; Nitrides; Phosphides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/77348 Silicon Aluminium Nitrides or Silicon Aluminium Oxynitrides
• 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 2224/8592 Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 Wavelength conversion materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/14 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of the electroluminescent material , or by the simultaneous addition of the electroluminescent material in or onto the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

Provided are an α-SiAlON activated by Eu, which can realize a higher luminance in a light-emitting device such as a white LED, and also a light-emitting device. The α-SiAlON is represented by the general formula: (M)_x(Eu)_y(Si)_12-(m+n)(Al)_m+n(O)_n(N)_16-n (wherein M denotes one or more elements including at least Ca, selected from the group consisting of Li, Mg, Ca, Y and lanthanide elements (except for La and Ce)), and is constituted by an α-SiAlON having Eu in the form of a solid solution. The 50% mean area diameter of primary particles of the α-SiAlON is 5 μm or more, and the ratio of the 50% mean area diameter of primary particles to the 50% mean area diameter of secondary particles of the α-SiAlON is preferably 0.56 or more. A light-emitting device 10 includes a light-emitting light source 12 and a wavelength conversion member 15, wherein the wavelength conversion member 15 includes a α-SiAlON 18 for absorbing near-ultraviolet to blue light generated by the light-emitting light source 12 to generate yellow to orange light.

Claims

1. An α

-SiAlON represented by the general formula;

(M)_x(Eu)_y(Si)_12-(m+n)(Al)_m+n(O)_n(N)_16-n (wherein M denotes one or more elements including at least Ca, selected from the group consisting of Li, Mg, Ca, Y and lanthanide elements (except for La and Ce)), wherein a 50% mean area diameter of primary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 5 μ

m or more, and wherein a D50 particle diameter (50% mean volume diameter) of secondary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 13 μ

m or more and 30 μ

m or less.

2. The α

-SiAlON according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the 50% mean area diameter of primary particles to a 50% mean area diameter of secondary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 0.56 or more.

3. The α

-SiAlON according to claim 1, wherein an average number of primary particles in secondary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 2.5 or less.

4. The α

-SiAlON according to claim 1, wherein a 10% mean area diameter of primary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 3 μ

m or more.

5. The α

-SiAlON according to claim 4, wherein a ratio of the 10% mean area diameter of primary particles to a 10% mean area diameter of secondary particles of the α

-SiAlON is 0.65 or more.

6. A light-emitting device comprising a light-emitting light source and a wavelength conversion member, wherein the wavelength conversion member includes a phosphor, and the phosphor is the α

-SiAlON according to claim 1.

7. The light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the phosphor further includes a β

-SiAlON having Eu in the form of a solid solution.

8. The light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the phosphor further includes a β

-SiAlON having Eu in the form of a solid solution, and CaAlSiN₃.

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the light-emitting light source is an LED chip for generating light of a wavelength of 300 nm to 500 nm.

10. An illumination device having the light-emitting device according to claim 7.

11. A signal device having the light-emitting device according to claim 6.

12. A liquid crystal panel having the light-emitting device according to claim 6.

13. An image display device having the light-emitting device according to claim 6.