An organic electroluminescent element that uses a compound expressed by the following general formula emits dark blue light and exhibits little change in chromaticity during brightness modulation. (n1 is an integer from 0 to 8; the R.sup.1 [groups] are each independently a substituent substituted for a hydrogen atom of the pyrene skeleton; X is CR.sup.aR.sup.b (R.sup.a and R.sup.b are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent), O, S, or SiR.sup.dR.sup.e (R.sup.d and R.sup.e are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent); and A.sup.1 to A.sup.4 represent each independently either N or CR.sup.f (R.sup.f represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and two adjacent R.sup.f [groups] may jointly form a saturated or unsaturated ring, but no more than two rings may be formed jointly by two or more of the R.sup.f [groups]).)

An organic electroluminescent element that uses a compound expressed by the following general formula emits dark blue light and exhibits little change in chromaticity during brightness modulation. (n1 is an integer from 0 to 8; the R.sup.1 [groups] are each independently a substituent substituted for a hydrogen atom of the pyrene skeleton; X is CR.sup.aR.sup.b (R.sup.a and R.sup.b are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent), O, S, or SiR.sup.dR.sup.e (R.sup.d and R.sup.e are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent); and A.sup.1 to A.sup.4 represent each independently either N or CR.sup.f (R.sup.f represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and two adjacent R.sup.f [groups] may jointly form a saturated or unsaturated ring, but no more than two rings may be formed jointly by two or more of the R.sup.f [groups]).)

Provided are an oxynitride phosphor comprising a JEM crystal as a main component and being characterized by light-emitting properties (light emission color or excitation property, light emission spectrum) that is different from the known JEM phosphor, and an application thereof. The phosphor of the present invention comprises the JEM crystal activated with Eu and represented by MAl(Si, Al).sub.6(O, N).sub.10 (where the M element is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Eu, La, Sc, Y, and lanthanoid elements; and includes at least Eu as well as Ca and/or Sr).

Provided are an oxynitride phosphor comprising a JEM crystal as a main component and being characterized by light-emitting properties (light emission color or excitation property, light emission spectrum) that is different from the known JEM phosphor, and an application thereof. The phosphor of the present invention comprises the JEM crystal activated with Eu and represented by MAl(Si, Al).sub.6(O, N).sub.10 (where the M element is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Eu, La, Sc, Y, and lanthanoid elements; and includes at least Eu as well as Ca and/or Sr).

A production method of a phosphor includes firing a starting material mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature range between 1,500 C. inclusive and 2,200 C. inclusive. The starting material mixture is a mixture of metallic compounds, and is capable of constituting a composition including M, A, Al, O, and N (M is Eu; and A is one kind or two or more kinds of element(s) selected from C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Ga, In, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Gd, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, and W) by firing.

A production method of a phosphor includes firing a starting material mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature range between 1,500 C. inclusive and 2,200 C. inclusive. The starting material mixture is a mixture of metallic compounds, and is capable of constituting a composition including M, A, Al, O, and N (M is Eu; and A is one kind or two or more kinds of element(s) selected from C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Ga, In, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Gd, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, and W) by firing.

Microstructured, irregular surfaces pose special challenges but coatings of the invention can uniformly coat irregular and microstructured surfaces with one or more thin layers of phosphor. Preferred embodiment coatings are used in microcavity plasma devices and the substrate is, for example, a device electrode with a patterned and microstructured dielectric surface. A method for forming a thin encapsulated phosphor coating of the invention applies a uniform paste of metal or polymer layer to the substrate. In another embodiment, a low temperature melting point metal is deposited on the substrate. Polymer particles are deposited on a metal layer, or a mixture of a phosphor particles and a solvent are deposited onto the uniform glass, metal or polymer layer. Sequential soft and hard baking with temperatures controlled to drive off the solvent will then soften or melt the lowest melting point constituents of the glass, metal or polymer layer, partially or fully embed the phosphor particles into glass, polymer, or metal layers, which partially or fully encapsulate the phosphor particles and/or serve to anchor the particles to a surface.

Microstructured, irregular surfaces pose special challenges but coatings of the invention can uniformly coat irregular and microstructured surfaces with one or more thin layers of phosphor. Preferred embodiment coatings are used in microcavity plasma devices and the substrate is, for example, a device electrode with a patterned and microstructured dielectric surface. A method for forming a thin encapsulated phosphor coating of the invention applies a uniform paste of metal or polymer layer to the substrate. In another embodiment, a low temperature melting point metal is deposited on the substrate. Polymer particles are deposited on a metal layer, or a mixture of a phosphor particles and a solvent are deposited onto the uniform glass, metal or polymer layer. Sequential soft and hard baking with temperatures controlled to drive off the solvent will then soften or melt the lowest melting point constituents of the glass, metal or polymer layer, partially or fully embed the phosphor particles into glass, polymer, or metal layers, which partially or fully encapsulate the phosphor particles and/or serve to anchor the particles to a surface.

A fluorescent paste that can form a fluorescent film and can be manufactured without a binder resin and has a high recording density and peel resistance. Fluorescent fine particles each coated with a film formed of a film compound having a reactive group and a curing agent having a plurality of crosslinking reaction groups each reacting with the reactive group to form bonds are blended with a solvent to manufacture fluorescent paste. The fluorescent paste is applied to a substrate coated with a film formed of a second film compound having a second reactive group and is cured by crosslinking reactions between the reactive group and the second reactive group, and the crosslinking reaction groups to form a fluorescent film.

A fluorescent paste that can form a fluorescent film and can be manufactured without a binder resin and has a high recording density and peel resistance. Fluorescent fine particles each coated with a film formed of a film compound having a reactive group and a curing agent having a plurality of crosslinking reaction groups each reacting with the reactive group to form bonds are blended with a solvent to manufacture fluorescent paste. The fluorescent paste is applied to a substrate coated with a film formed of a second film compound having a second reactive group and is cured by crosslinking reactions between the reactive group and the second reactive group, and the crosslinking reaction groups to form a fluorescent film.