Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Shouzo Oshio

Tomizo Matsuoka

Teruaki Shigeta

Toru Higashi

A method for producing a trivalent rare earth ion-containing aluminate phosphor includes preparing a phosphor raw material comprising a granular aluminum containing compound in a phosphor raw material production process, heating the phosphor raw material in an oxidizing atmosphere at a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1500&deg; C. to 1800&deg; C.) so as to produce an intermediate phosphor in an intermediate phosphor production process. After the intermediate phosphor is cracked, the intermediate phosphor is heated in a reducing atmosphere at a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1400&deg; C. to 1800&deg; C.) in a trivalent rare earth ion-containing aluminate phosphor production process. The heating temperature in a reducing atmosphere is equal to or less than the heating temperature in an oxidizing atmosphere. A post treatment is performed, if necessary. Thus, a trivalent rare earth ion-containing aluminate phosphor can be obtained.

Trivalent rare earth ion-containing aluminate phosphor, a method for producing the same and a light emitting device using the same

A phosphor host compound is produced from a host compound material. Then, the host compound and a trivalent europium compound are reacted in a reducing atmosphere to generate a desired divalent europium-activated phosphor. If the divalent europium-activated phosphor is generated in this manner, a chemical reaction between the raw material for the host compound and the trivalent europium compound can be suppressed. Therefore, variations in the luminescent color among different production lots of the phosphor can be suppressed, and a phosphor with high color purity can be provided with high repeatability.

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Osaka, Japan

Shouzo Oshio