Chemical vapor deposition of luminescent films

Claim 1

A method for depositing a luminescent film upon a non-reactive substrate comprising a. vaporizing into a nonreactive carrier gas (1) at least one member of a first group consisting of hydrides and alkyls of M 1 , wherein M 1 is at least one of silicon, germanium, boron, phosphorus and aluminum, (2) at least one volatile M 2 -containing organo-metallic compound of a second group, wherein M 2 is at least one of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, calcium, beryllium, strontium, and barium, and (3) at least one volatile M 3 -containing organo-metallic compound of a third group wherein M 3 is at least one activator for said film, b. heating said substrate to temperatures in the range of about 300° to 700°C, c. contacting the vapor-laden carrier gas and an oxidizing gas with said heated substrate, d. and continuing steps (a), (b) and (c) for a time interval sufficient to cause the substrate to be coated with a luminescent film consisting essentially of a phosphor having the formula M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b O.sub.c : dM.sup.3 wherein M 1 , M 2 , and M 3 are as defined above, a, b and c are values in moles normally used to provide the desired host crystal for the phosphor and d is an activator proportion generally in the range of 0.001 to 0.1 mole per mole host crystal.

Claim 2

A method for depositing a luminescent film upon a non-reactive substrate comprising a. vaporizing into a nonreactive carrier gas (1) at least one member of a first group consisting of hydrides and alkyls of M 1 , wherein M 1 is at least one of silicon, germanium, boron, phosphorus and aluminum, (2) at least one volatile M 2 -containing organo-metallic compound of a second group, wherein M 2 is at least one of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, calcium, beryllium, strontium, and barium, and (3) at least one volatile M 3 -containing organo-metallic compound of a third group wherein M 3 is at least one activator for said film, b. heating said substrate to temperatures in the range of about 300° to 700°C, c. contacting the vapor-laden carrier gas and an oxidizing gas with said heated substrate, d. and continuing steps (a), (b) and (c) for a time interval sufficient to cause the substrate to be coated with a luminescent film consisting essentially of a phosphor having the formula M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b O.sub.c : dM.sup.3 wherein M 1 , M 2 , and M 3 are as defined above, a, b and c are values in moles normally used to provide the desired host crystal for the phosphor and d is an activator proportion generally in the range of 0.001 to 0.1 mole per mole host crystal.

Claim 7

A method for depositing luminescent films upon the surfaces of nonreactive particles comprising a. vaporizing into a nonreactive carrier gas (1) at least one member of a first group consisting of hydrides and alkyls of M 1 , wherein M 1 is at least one of silicon, germanium, boron, phosphorus, and aluminum; (2) at least one volatile M 2 -containing organo-metallic compound of a second group, wherein M 2 is at least one of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, calcium, beryllium, and barium; and (3) at least one volatile M 3 -containing organo-metallic compound of a third group, wherein M 3 is at least one activator for said luminescent film, b. passing said vapor-laden carrier gas upward through a bed of said nonreactive particles, said particles being maintained at temperatures in the range of about 300° to 700°C, c. passing an oxidizing gas into said bed of nonreactive particles separately from said carrier gas, said oxidizing gas and said vapor-laden carrier gas mixing with one another in said bed, d. and continuing said method steps (a), (b) and (c) for a time interval sufficient to cause the substrate to be coated to a desired thickness with a luminescent film consisting essentially of a phosphor having the formula M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b O.sub.c : dM.sup.3 wherein M 1 , M 2 , and M 3 are as defined above, a, b and c are values in moles normally used to provide the desired host crystal for the phosphor, and d is an activator proportion generally in the range of 0.001 to 0.1 mole per mole host crystal.

Claim 8

A method for depositing luminescent films upon the surfaces of nonreactive particles comprising a. vaporizing into a nonreactive carrier gas (1) at least one member of a first group consisting of hydrides and alkyls of M 1 , wherein M 1 is at least one of silicon, germanium, boron, phosphorus, and aluminum; (2) at least one volatile M 2 -containing organo-metallic compound of a second group, wherein M 2 is at least one of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, calcium, beryllium, and barium; and (3) at least one volatile M 3 -containing organo-metallic compound of a third group, wherein M 3 is at least one activator for said luminescent film, b. passing said vapor-laden carrier gas upward through a bed of said nonreactive particles, said particles being maintained at temperatures in the range of about 300° to 700°C, c. passing an oxidizing gas into said bed of nonreactive particles separately from said carrier gas, said oxidizing gas and said vapor-laden carrier gas mixing with one another in said bed, d. and continuing said method steps (a), (b) and (c) for a time interval sufficient to cause the substrate to be coated to a desired thickness with a luminescent film consisting essentially of a phosphor having the formula M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b O.sub.c : dM.sup.3 wherein M 1 , M 2 , and M 3 are as defined above, a, b and c are values in moles normally used to provide the desired host crystal for the phosphor, and d is an activator proportion generally in the range of 0.001 to 0.1 mole per mole host crystal.