Surface modification of the (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ phosphor by dual-coating of oxide nano-particles

The surface of (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ phosphor, red-emitting source in the plasma display panel (PDP), was dual-coated with SiO2 and Al2O3 nano-particles. The surface modification of the phosphor was performed by a modified sol–gel method using the colloidal alumina and silica as surface coating precursors. We observed the oxide nano-particles on the surface of the single coated and the dual-coated phosphors and it was found that the luminance intensity was increased in the photoluminescence (PL) by a suppression of the nonradiative recombination via surface defects. The experimental results suggest that the surface modification of phosphors with nano-particles of the oxides leads to an increase in the luminance intensity of phosphors in the PDP (plasma display panel) and the gas discharge lamps.