Improved Cathodoluminescence of Y[sub 2]SiO[sub 5]:Ce-BAM:Eu Mixed Blue Phosphor

A strategy, which is very simple but very effective for controlling cathodoluminescence (CL) intensity of the blue phosphor at a low working voltage, is introduced. The key idea was to use the cathodoluminescence of phosphor to additionally pump the photoluminescence of (BAM) phosphor. The deep-blue or near-ultraviolet light, emitting from the cathodoluminescence of phosphor, was found to efficiently excite again the BAM phosphor which then emits a new blue light via photoluminescence. Thus, the mixed phosphor had a higher emission intensity than that of the pure BAM phosphor as well as one at a low accelerated voltage (800 V). The peak shape of mixed phosphor was nearly identical with that of BAM until the amount of becomes 50 wt %. This result supported the concept that the deep-blue or near-ultraviolet light in the cathodoluminescence of phosphor was efficiency reabsorbed by the BAM phosphor, thereby generating additional photoluminescence light. It was experimentally proved that the concept used in this work is a very simple but effective and useful way to improve the energy conversion efficiency of the phosphor.