Provided is a nitride phosphor with high emission intensity. The nitride phosphor includes: a group 1 element(s) including at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassium; a group 2 element(s) including at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium; a group 13 element(s) including at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, and indium; a group 14 element(s) including at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and tin; nitrogen; and cerium. The nitride phosphor includes, as a host crystal, a crystal having the same crystal structure as CaAlSiN.sub.3, wherein the internal quantum efficiency upon excitation at 450 nm is not less than 87%.

An optical device includes an LED chip, a light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material, and a near-infrared luminescent material, wherein a luminous power of light emitted by the near-infrared luminescent material and the light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material in a band of 650-1000 nm under the excitation of the LED chip is A, and a sum of a luminous power of light emitted by the near-infrared and visible-light luminescent materials in a band of 350-650 nm under the excitation of the LED chip and a luminous power of residual light emitted by the LED chip in the band of 350-650 nm after the LED chip excites the near-infrared and visible-light luminescent materials is B, with B/A*100% being 0.1%-10%. According to the implementation where the optical device employs the LED chip to combine the near-infrared luminescent material and the light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material simultaneously.

A luminophore may have the general empirical formula X.sub.3A.sub.4Si.sub.3O.sub.8N.sub.2:E, where: X=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, or combinations thereof; A=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Cu, Ag, or combinations thereof; Z=Al, Ga, B, or combinations thereof; and E=Eu, Ce, Yb, Mn, or combinations thereof.

A phosphor powder which is represented by a general formula M.sub.x(Si, Al).sub.2(N, O).sub.3y (where M is Li and one or more alkaline earth metal elements and 0.52x0.9 and 0.06y0.36 are satisfied) and in which a part of M is substituted with a Ce element, in which the phosphor powder includes phosphor particles in which a Si/Al atomic ratio is equal to or more than 1.5 and equal to or less than 6, an O/N atomic ratio is equal to or more than 0 and equal to or less than 0.1, 5 to 50 mol % of M is Li, and 0.5 to 10 mol % of M is Ce, and a diffuse reflectance X1 with respect to light having a wavelength of 700 nm is equal to or more than 88% and equal to or less than 99.9%.

The invention relates to a red-emitting luminescent material of the formula AE16xCexSi17zAlzN32+yzO2y+z wherein AE=Mg, Ca, Sr and/or Ba, 0<x2, 0y<5, 0z3 and y+z<2.

An optical device includes an LED chip, a light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material, and a near-infrared luminescent material, wherein a luminous power of light emitted by the near-infrared luminescent material and the light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material in a band of 650-1000 nm under the excitation of the LED chip is A, and a sum of a luminous power of light emitted by the near-infrared and visible-light luminescent materials in a band of 350-650 nm under the excitation of the LED chip and a luminous power of residual light emitted by the LED chip in the band of 350-650 nm after the LED chip excites the near-infrared and visible-light luminescent materials is B, with B/A*100% being 0.1%-10%. According to the implementation where the optical device employs the LED chip to combine the near-infrared luminescent material and the light absorber and/or visible-light luminescent material simultaneously.

The invention relates to a red-emitting luminescent material of the formula AE16xCexSi17zAlzN32+yzO2y+z wherein AE=Mg, Ca, Sr and/or Ba, 0<x2, 0y5, 0z3 and y+z<2.

The invention provides a light generating system (1000) comprising (i) a plurality of light sources (110,120, . . .), (ii) a first luminescent material (210), and (iii) a second luminescent material (220), wherein: (a) a first light source (110) is configured to generate first light source light (111) having one or more wavelengths in the blue wavelength range and having a first centroid wavelength (C1), wherein the first light source (110) is a laser; (b) the first luminescent material (210) is configured to convert at least part of the first light source light (111) into first luminescent material light (211) having one or more wavelengths in the green and/or yellow wavelength range; (c) a second light source (120) is configured to generate second light source light (121) having one or more wavelengths in the yellow and/or orange wavelength range and having a second centroid wavelength (C2), wherein C2>C1; wherein the second light source (120) is a superluminescent diode; (d) the second luminescent material (220) is configured to convert at least part of the second light source light (121) into second luminescent material light (221) having one or more wavelengths in the orange and/or red wavelength range; and (e) in an operational mode the light generating system (1000) is configured to generate system light (1001) comprising the first luminescent material light (211) and the second luminescent material light (221).

The invention provides a light generating system (1000) comprising (i) a plurality of light sources (110, 120, . . . ), (ii) a first luminescent material (210), and (iii) a second luminescent material (220), wherein: (a) a first light source (110) is configured to generate first light source light (111) having one or more wavelengths in the blue wavelength range and having a first centroid wavelength (C1), wherein the first light source (110) is a laser; (b) the first luminescent material (210) is configured to convert at least part of the first light source light (111) into first luminescent material light (211) having one or more wavelengths in the green and/or yellow wavelength range; (c) a second light source (120) is configured to generate second light source light (121) having one or more wavelengths in the yellow and/or orange wavelength range and having a second centroid wavelength (C2), wherein C2>C1; wherein the second light source (120) is a superluminescent diode; (d) the second luminescent material (220) is configured to convert at least part of the second light source light (121) into second luminescent material light (221) having one or more wavelengths in the orange and/or red wavelength range; and (e) in an operational mode the light generating system (1000) is configured to generate system light (1001) comprising the first luminescent material light (211) and the second luminescent material light (221).