A CaSiAlON ceramic with enhanced mechanical properties and a method employing micron-sized and submicron precursors to form the CaSiAlON ceramic. The CaSiAlON ceramic comprises not more than 42 wt % silicon, relative to the total weight of the CaSiAlON ceramic. The method employs submicron particles and also allows for substituting a portion of aluminum nitride with aluminum to form the CaSiAlON ceramic with enhanced mechanical properties.

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.

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 transparent fluorescent sialon ceramic having fluorescence and optical transparency; and a method of producing the same. Such a transparent fluorescent sialon ceramic includes a sialon phosphor which contains a matrix formed of a silicon nitride compound represented by the formula M.sub.x(Si,Ai).sub.y(N,O).sub.z (here, M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Li, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals, 0x/z<3, and 0<y/z<1) and a luminescent center element.

Organosilicon chemistry, polymer derived ceramic materials, and methods. Such materials and methods for making polysilocarb (SiOC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) materials having 3-nines, 4-nines, 6-nines and greater purity. Processes and articles utilizing such high purity SiOC and SiC.

A conductive paste included in inner electrodes of a multilayer ceramic capacitor is fired and includes a conductive metal powder, a ceramic powder, an organic solvent, and an organic binder. The conductive metal powder includes copper, and at least a portion of the ceramic powder is a powder of at least one oxide of an ABO.sub.3 type with a specified ionic radius in which a ratio of a six-coordinate ionic radius of an A-site element in ABO.sub.3 to a six-coordinate ionic radius of copper is about 0.96 or greater and about 1.04 or less.

A conductive paste included in inner electrodes of a multilayer ceramic capacitor is fired and includes a conductive metal powder, a ceramic powder, an organic solvent, and an organic binder. The conductive metal powder includes copper, and at least a portion of the ceramic powder is a powder of at least one oxide of an ABO.sub.3 type with a specified ionic radius in which a ratio of a six-coordinate ionic radius of an A-site element in ABO.sub.3 to a six-coordinate ionic radius of copper is about 0.96 or greater and about 1.04 or less.