Provided is fluorophore comprising: inorganic compound having: an inorganic crystal, where M element (M is one or more elements selected from Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, and Yb) is solid solved, having the same crystal structure as the crystal represented by Ca.sub.2Si.sub.5O.sub.3N.sub.6 (including Ca.sub.2Si.sub.5O.sub.3N.sub.6 crystal or a solid solution thereof where one or more elements selected from Mg, Sr, Ba, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, Hf, B, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, and F are solid solved) and comprising: A element, D element, X element, and, if necessary, E element (A is one or more elements selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba; D is one or more elements selected from Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf; E is one or more elements selected from B, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, and La; and X is one or more elements selected from O, N, and F).

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.

Phosphor particles are provided in the form of spherical polycrystalline secondary particles consisting of a multiplicity of primary particles, including a garnet phase having the compositional formula: (A.sub.1-xB.sub.x).sub.3C.sub.5O.sub.12 wherein A is Y, Gd, and/or Lu, B is Ce, Nd, and/or Tb, C is Al and/or Ga, and 0.002x0.2, the secondary particles having an average particle size of 5-50 m.

A ceramic composite for light conversion, which can make the fluorescence dominant wavelength longer up to 580 nm, further arbitrarily adjust the wavelength in the range of 570 to 580 nm, and undergoes no decrease in fluorescence intensity even when the fluorescence dominant wavelength is made longer, with luminescence unevenness suppressed. A light-emitting device comprising ceramic composite mentioned above. The ceramic composite for light conversion is a solidified body including a composition expressed by the following formula (1), where the composition has a structure where at least two oxide phases of a first phase and a second phase are continuously and three-dimensionally entangled mutually, and the ceramic composite for light conversion is characterized in that the first phase is a (Tb, Y).sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12 phase activated with Ce for producing fluorescence, whereas the second phase is an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 phase.

The invention relates to a yellow light afterglow material and a preparation method thereof as well as an LED illuminating device using the same. The yellow light afterglow material comprises the chemical formula of aY.sub.2O.sub.3.bAl.sub.2O.sub.3.cSiO.sub.2:mCe.nB.xNa.yP, where a, b, c, m, n, x and y are coefficients, and a is not less than 1 but not more than 2, b is not less than 2 but not more than 3, c is not less than 0.001 but not more than 1, m is not less than 0.0001 but not more than 0.6, n is not less than 0.0001 but not more than 0.5, x is not less than 0.0001 but not more than 0.2, and y is not less than 0.0001 but not more than 0.5; wherein Y, Al and Si are substrate elements, and Ce, B, Na and P are activators. The yellow light afterglow material is prepared by the following steps: weighing oxides of elements or materials which can generate oxides at high temperature by molar ratio as raw materials, evenly mixing and then sintering the raw materials at 1200-1700 in a reducing atmosphere.

A phosphor material is presented that includes a blend of a first phosphor, a second phosphor and a third phosphor. The first phosphor includes a composition having a general formula of RE.sub.2yM.sub.1+yA.sub.2ySc.sub.ySi.sub.nwGe.sub.wO.sub.12+:Ce.sup.3+ wherein RE is selected from a lanthanide ion or Y.sup.3+, where M is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, A is selected from Mg or Zn and where 0y2, 2.5n3.5, 0w1, and 1.51.5. The second phosphor includes a complex fluoride doped with manganese (Mn.sup.4+), and the third phosphor include a phosphor composition having an emission peak in a range from about 520 nanometers to about 680 nanometers. A lighting apparatus including such a phosphor material is also presented. The light apparatus includes a light source in addition to the phosphor material.

A ceramic composite for light conversion comprising a solidified body in which crystalline phases of oxides are three-dimensionally entangled and a method for manufacture thereof. A manufacture method of a ceramic composite for light conversion is characterized in that a polishing step is provided in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process applied to the surface of a solidified body with a structure in which an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 phase and other phases are three-dimensionally entangled.

To provide a phosphor being chemically-thermally stable and having high luminous intensity if combined with LED of not exceeding 470 nm. A phosphor of the present invention includes: inorganic compound including: a crystal represented by Li.sub.1Ba.sub.2Al.sub.1Si.sub.7N.sub.12; a crystal represented by (Li, A).sub.3(D, E).sub.8X.sub.12; and an inorganic crystal having the same crystal structure as the crystal represented by Li.sub.1Ba.sub.2Al.sub.1Si.sub.7N.sub.12; and a solid-solution crystal thereof, which contains Li, A, D, E, and X elements (A represents at least one selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y and La; D represents at least one selected from Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr and Hf; E represents at least one selected from B, Al, Ga and In; and X represents at least one selected from O, N and F), wherein M element (M represents at least one selected from Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy and Yb) is solid-solved into each.