The research on inorganic phosphor powders in the institute for Optical and Electronic Materials is focused on the advanced methods of synthesis and deposition of photoluminescent materials with submicron particle size and on comparative characterization of their performance in the deep UV. Currently, several modifications of flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) are investigated as a single-step synthesis and deposition technique of phosphor nanopowder coatings.

The research activities are aimed at determination of relations between process parameters of FSP-deposition procedure and optical properties of obtained coatings. It has been shown already that phosphor screens deposited by FSP have equal efficiency to that of commercial phosphors while needed coating density is few times smaller and the whole deposition process starting with solution of precursors takes just a few minutes. The importance of surface condition and morphology of phosphor particle was studied. In the nearest future, a new material system (YAG:Ce,Tb) will be a subject of the experimental work (in addition to previously studied Y₂O₃:Eu, Gd). The second important direction of ongoing research is deposition and characterization of phosphor powders with the smallest obtainable particle size (20-30 nm), which is a collaboration with the research group of Prof. S.E. Pratsinis at the Particle Technology Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The ultimate goal of project is in an industrial implementation of the developed FSP deposition method.

Wissenschaftliche Kontakte und Kooperationen

• Prof. Dr. S.E. Pratsinis, ETH, Institut für Verfahrenstechnik, PTL
• Prof. Dr. E. Heumann, Hamburg University, Institut für Laserphysik, DESY
• Prof. Dr. G.A. Schneider, TUHH, Keramische Hochleistungswerkstoffe