We have synthesized oxide and sulfide based nanoparticles doped with Mn for potential use as cathodoluminescent phosphors in field-emission displays. Earlier work ion nanophosphors had raised the question whether it is possible to achieve high efficiency using particles that are less than approximately 1 micrometers in size. Although high photoluminescent efficiency had been achieved in particles as small as 3 nm, high cathodoluminescent efficiency has not been reported in nanoparticles. We show, for the first time, that the cathodoluminescent efficiency of nanoparticles is comparable to that of commercial phosphors especially for electron beam energy ranges between 500 V and 3 kV. For example, the luminescence of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles is within a factor of 2.5 of the commercial product at 650V. And, for the Zn₂SiO₄:Mn nanophosphor we have indeed exceeded the luminance of the commercial product. We stress the importance of a capping layer on the sulfide-based nanophosphors for improved stability and performance.

Date Published: 12 April 1999
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 3636, Flat Panel Display Technology and Display Metrology, (12 April 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.344637

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3636:
Flat Panel Display Technology and Display Metrology
Bruce Gnade; Edward F. Kelley, Editor(s)