To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

Provided are a fluorescent material having a high light emission intensity, a method for producing the same, and a light emitting device using the same. The present fluorescent material includes a composition represented by formula (I): Si.sub.uEu.sub.vAl.sub.wO.sub.xN.sub.y, wherein when the sum of a parameter u and a parameter w is taken as 13, parameters u, v, w, x, and y in the formula (I) satisfy the following formulae (1) to (5).
2.77u2.88(1)
0.04v0.08(2)
10.12w10.23(3)
0.42x0.95(4)
12.89y13.65(5)

A phosphor powder consisting of a red phosphor represented by a general formula (Sr.sub.x, Ca.sub.1-x-y, Eu.sub.y)AlSi(N,O).sub.3 having the same crystal phase as that of CaAlSiN.sub.3. In the general formula, relationships of x<1 and 1?x?y>0 are satisfied. In a case where a cumulative 10% value of the phosphor powder in a volume-based particle size distribution curve is defined as D.sub.10, a cumulative 50% value is defined as D.sub.50, and a cumulative 90% value is defined as D.sub.90, a value of D.sub.50 is more than 20 ?m and 40 ?m or less, and a value of (D.sub.90?D.sub.10)/D.sub.50 is 1.12 or less.

There are provided a phosphor which is a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (A): Eu.sub.aSi.sub.bAl.sub.cO.sub.dN.sub.e, a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (B): MI.sub.fEu.sub.gSi.sub.hAl.sub.kO.sub.mN.sub.n or a divalent europium-activated nitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (C): (MII.sub.1-pEu.sub.p)MIIISiN.sub.3, having a reflectance of light emission in a longer wavelength region of visible light than a peak wavelength of 95% or larger, and a method of producing such phosphor; a nitride phosphor and an oxynitride phosphor which emit light efficiently and stably by the light having a wavelength ranging from 430 to 480 nm from a semiconductor light emitting device by means of a light emitting apparatus using such phosphor, and a producing method of such phosphor; and a light emitting apparatus having stable characteristics and realizing high efficiency.

Provided are a phosphor emitting light having a wavelength of 600 nm or more in the red-to-nearinfrared range when irradiated with visible light or ultraviolet light; a method for producing same; a light emitting element using same; and a light emitting device using same. The phosphor includes an inorganic compound including A element, M element, D element, E element (A is at least one element selected from the group of Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; M is at least one element selected from the group of Mn, Eu, Ce, Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb; D is Si and/or Al; and E is O and/or N) and, if necessary, G element (G is Li), and represented by (A, M).sub.aD.sub.dE.sub.eG.sub.g, (atomic fraction parameters a, d, e and g satisfy 2.4?a?4.8, 17.4?d?22.2, 26.2?e?28.6 and 0?g?3).

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

Provided are a fluorescent material having a high light emission intensity, a method for producing the same, and a light emitting device using the same. The present fluorescent material includes a composition represented by formula (I): Si.sub.uEu.sub.vAl.sub.wO.sub.xN.sub.y, wherein when the sum of a parameter u and a parameter w is taken as 13, parameters u, v, w, x, and y in the formula (I) satisfy the following formulae (1) to (5).

2.77u2.88(1)

0.04v0.08(2)

10.12w10.23(3)

0.42x0.95(4)

12.89y13.65(5)

A ceramic material includes of -sialon (Si.sub.(6-z)Al.sub.zO.sub.zN.sub.(8-z)), polytype 15R, an intergranular phase, and yttrium. The polytype 15R includes twin grains.

There are provided a phosphor which is a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (A): Eu.sub.aSi.sub.bAl.sub.cO.sub.dN.sub.e, a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (B): MI.sub.fEu.sub.gSi.sub.hAl.sub.kO.sub.mN.sub.n or a divalent europium-activated nitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (C): (MII.sub.1pEu.sub.p)MIIISiN.sub.3, having a reflectance of light emission in a longer wavelength region of visible light than a peak wavelength of 95% or larger, and a method of producing such phosphor; a nitride phosphor and an oxynitride phosphor which emit light efficiently and stably by the light having a wavelength ranging from 430 to 480 nm from a semiconductor light emitting device by means of a light emitting apparatus using such phosphor, and a producing method of such phosphor; and a light emitting apparatus having stable characteristics and realizing high efficiency.