Garnet silicate is garnet silicate containing, as a main component, silicate represented by a general formula: Lu.sub.2CaMg.sub.2(SiO.sub.4).sub.3. The garnet silicate includes primary particles having a particle shape derived from a crystal structure of garnet. Moreover, the garnet silicate further contains alkaline metal including at least lithium, in which a content of the alkaline metal is less than 2000 ppm. The garnet silicate phosphor includes garnet silicate and ions which are included in the garnet silicate and function as a light emission center. The wavelength converter includes the garnet silicate phosphor. A light emitting device includes the garnet silicate phosphor or the wavelength converter.

A device including an LED light source optically coupled to a phosphor material including a green-emitting phosphor selected from the group consisting of compositions (A1)-(A62) and combinations thereof.

Persistent infrared (IR) phosphors are disclosed. In an embodiment a phosphor has the general formula: M1.sub.(mk)Ga.sub.(2nxyz)M2.sub.pO.sub.(rm+3n+2p):xSb.sup.3+,yM3,zD,kM4, wherein M1 is chosen from magnesium, calcium, barium, strontium, zinc, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, gadolinium, lutetium, or bismuth, or combinations thereof; M2 is chosen from silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, or combinations thereof; M3 is chosen from magnesium, aluminum, indium, scandium, or combinations thereof; M4 is chosen from praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, or combinations thereof; D is chosen from chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, or cobalt, or combinations thereof; and wherein 1m4; 1n3; 0p5; 0.0002x2n; 0y2n; 0.0001z0.1; 0k0.1; and r is selected from 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.

Plastic products containing at least one synthetic material and at least one luminophore of general formula (I) A.sub.1?x?y?zB*.sub.yB.sub.2SiO.sub.4:Ln.sup.1.sub.xLn.sup.2.sub.z can be produced. A is selected from the group of Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; B is selected from the group of Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs; B* is selected from among the group of Li, Na and K; and B=B* or B?B*, preferably B?B*. Ln.sup.1 is selected from among the group consisting of praseodymium (Pr), erbium (Er) and neodymium (Nd); Ln.sup.2 is gadolinium (Gd); x=0.0001 to 0.0500; z=0.0000 or z=0.0001 to 0.3000, with the proviso that y=x+z. Objects that are made of the plastic products can be produced.

A method of growing a rare-earth oxyorthosilicate crystal, and crystals grown using the method are disclosed. The method includes preparing a melt by melting a first substance including at least one first rare-earth element and providing an atmosphere that includes an inert gas and a gas including oxygen.

A method of growing a rare-earth oxyorthosilicate crystal, and crystals grown using the method are disclosed. The method includes preparing a melt by melting a first substance including at least one first rare-earth element and providing an atmosphere that includes an inert gas and a gas including oxygen.

Embodiments of the invention provide a ceramic composites and synthesis methods that include providing a plurality of nanoparticles with at least one first rare-earth single-crystal compound, and mixing the plurality of nanoparticles with at least one ceramic material and at least one ceramic binder including at least one solvent. The method further includes preparing a ceramic green-body from the mixture, and sintering the ceramic green-body to form a ceramic composite of a polycrystalline ceramic with a plurality of embedded single-crystal nanorods. The embedded single-crystal nanorods include at least one second rare-earth single crystal compound. The at least one second rare-earth single crystal compound can include or be derived from the at least one first rare-earth single crystal compound.

A double fluorescent particle comprises: a core with a first fluorescence; and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shell with a second fluorescence; wherein the MIP is an organic polymer comprising elements selected from the group consisting of: C, H, O, N, P, and S; wherein the MIP is adapted to selectively bind to a cell surface structure; wherein the first fluorescence is generated by an entity selected from the group consisting of: a carbon nanodot, an alkaline earth metal fluoride, a dye-doped polymer, a dye-doped stabilized micelle, a P-doti.e. a -conjugated polymer, a quantum dot doped polymer, a rare earth metal ion doped polymer, a dye-doped silica, a rare-earth ion doped silica, and a rare earth ion doped alkaline earth metal fluoride nanoparticle; wherein the second fluorescence is generated by an entity selected from the group consisting of: a dye, a molecular probe, an indicator, a probe monomer, an indicator monomer, and a cross-linker, and wherein the first and second fluorescence differ at least by an emission wavelength and/or by an excitation wavelength.

The present invention relates to Eu, Sm or Pr-doped silicate compounds, to a process for the preparation thereof and to the use thereof as conversion phosphors. The present invention also relates to an emission-converting material comprising at least the conversion phosphor according to the invention and to the use thereof in light sources, in particular pc-LEDs (phosphor converted light emitting devices). The present invention furthermore relates to light sources, in particular pc-LEDs, and lighting units which contain a primary light source and the emission-converting material according to the invention.

A method of manufacturing a glass-phosphor composite is disclosed. The method comprises: preparing rare earth ion-containing parent glass; mixing the rare-earth ion-containing parent glass in a power state with a phosphor in a powder state; and providing a glass-phosphor composite using the powder mixture of the rare earth ion-containing parent glass and the phosphor, wherein the mixing includes mixing the rare earth ion-containing parent glass in the powder state with the phosphor in the powder state so that the phosphor in the glass-phosphor composite is in an amount of 5 wt % to 30 wt %, and the preparing includes using a glass frit having a glass transition point of 300 C. to 800 C. and a sintering temperature of 200 C. to 600 C.