ELECTROLUMINESCENT CERAMIC MATERIALS

Abstract

A method and a device for generating light and to a use of a component for emitting light is disclosed. In a method for generating light, a component comprising a first material from the group of cuprates is subjected to an electric voltage and/or an electric field at a temperature T below 0° C. such that the component emits light. In this way, a light generation is provided which is accompanied by a substantial energy saving as well as a significantly reduced technical effort and which is also possible at cryogenic temperatures.

Claims

1. A method for generating light in which a component comprising a first material from a group consisting of cuprates is subjected to an electric voltage and/or an electric field at a temperature (T) below 0° C. such that the component emits light.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first material is yttrium barium copper oxide.

3. The method according to characterized in that claim 1, wherein the temperature (T) is lower than −30° C.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component has a mass fraction of the first material from the group of cuprates between 50% and 100%.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component has a mass fraction above 0% and at most 50% of a second material.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one first region of the component consists essentially of the first material and at least one second region of the component consists essentially of the second material.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least one third region of the component comprises a substantially homogeneous mixture of the first material and the second material.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric field has an electric field strength above 100 V/cm.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light emission takes place in an oxygen-containing atmosphere, wherein the oxygen-containing atmosphere is air.

10. The method according to one of the preceding claims, claim 1, wherein the component is a densified component, wherein the densified component is a sintered component.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein densification of the densified component is performed by subjecting a starting substance comprising the first material to an electric field at a temperature (Tv) below 800° C.

12. (canceled)

13. A device for generating light, comprising a component for emitting light and a power supply device for subjecting the component to an electric voltage and/or an electric field for emission of light by the component, wherein the component includes a first material from group consisting of cuprates, wherein the device is configured such that the component has a temperature (T) below 0° C. when light is generated.

14. The device according to thatclaim 13, wherein the device comprises cooling means for cooling the component to a temperature (T) below 0° C.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the cooling means is configured for cooling an atmosphere surrounding the component so that the component can be cooled by the atmosphere.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature (T) is lower than −60° C.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric field has an electric field strength of between 500 V/cm and 100 kV/cm.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein densification of the densified component is performed by subjecting a starting substance comprising the first material to an electric field at a temperature (Tv) below 100° C.

19. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one first region is at least one first layer and the at least one second region is at least one second layer.

20. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one third region of the component comprises a substantially homogeneous mixture of the first material and the second material.

Description

[0060] The figures show:

[0061] FIG. 1: a first device for generating light,

[0062] FIG. 2: a second device for generating light,

[0063] FIG. 3: a first configuration of a component,

[0064] FIG. 4: second configuration of a component, and

[0065] FIG. 5: a third configuration of a component.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device 10 according to the invention for generating light. It comprises a component 12 for emitting light. The component 12 includes a first material 14 from the group of cuprates. The component 12 has the shape of a straight pin connected to a first conductor 21 and a second conductor 22. In particular, the component 12 is held by the two conductors 21 and 22. The device 10 further comprises a power supply device 20 configured to subject the component 12 to an electric voltage and/or an electric field. In this way, the component 12 can emit light. The power supply device 20 comprises, in addition to the first conductor 21 and the second conductor 22, an electrical connection unit 35 configured in the form of a conventional lamp base. In this way, an electric current can be realized through the component 12 by means of the power supply device 20, which in particular leads to an electric field in the region of the component 12.

[0067] The device 10 for generating light further comprises a protective device which ensures a mechanical protection of the component 12 and in particular also of the two conductors 21 and 22. The protective device is in particular produced from a transparent solid material, for example glass. The protective device is in the form of a protective screen 30. In the configuration shown, the protective device is not configured to confine a gas-tight atmosphere around the component 12. In other words, the protective device is configured to allow circulation of gas from the environment of the device 10 around the component 12. This is shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the protective screen 30 has openings on the side shown on the left. In this way, the emission of light can take place in an oxygen-containing atmosphere 40, for example in the ambient air.

[0068] The device 10 for generating light is configured to generate light at a temperature below 0° C. For example, it may be used to serve as a light source on Mars. It may include a cooling device for cooling the component and/or an atmosphere surrounding the component. To this end, a protective device may be provided to confine an at least substantially gas-tight atmosphere around the component. The device 10 may be configured to generate incandescent (white-hot) light. In particular, the light emission serves to illuminate at least one object and/or a room.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention. Deviating from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the component 12 is designed here in the form of a dog-bone shape, which is shown only schematically. This shape can be produced with little technical effort. In all other respects, the embodiment shown corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, so that reference is made to the above explanations.

[0070] FIG. 3 schematically shows a first configuration of a component 12 according to the invention for emitting light. The component 12 comprises a third region 28 comprising a homogeneous mixture of a first material 14 from the group of cuprates and a second material 16. The second material 16 is different from the first material 14 and, in particular, does not include a cuprate. By suitable admixtures of the second material 16, the colour temperature of the light emitted by the component 12 can be adjusted in a desired manner.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a second configuration of a component 12 according to the invention. The component 12 comprises a first region 24 and a second region 26, which are in the form of layers and are directly adjacent to one another. The first region 24 is produced from the first material 14 from the group of cuprates. The second region 26 is produced from the second material 16, which is different from the first material 14 and in particular does not include a cuprate. The coating of the first region 24 with the second material 16 can be done in such a way that the light emission by the component 12 are influenced in a desired manner. For example, a colour temperature of the emitted light may be adjusted in a desired manner

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a third configuration of a component 12 according to the invention. The component 12 comprises a second region 26, which is sandwiched between two first regions 24, which are in particular of the same type. In particular, the component 12 consists of said region 24 and 26. Again, the first region 24 is produced from the first material 14 from the group of cuprates and the second region 26 is produced from the second material 16, which is different from the first material 14 and in particular does not include a cuprate. The first regions 24 and the second region 26 are arranged in superimposed layers.

[0073] The layer thicknesses shown in schematic FIGS. 3 to 5, as well as their ratios, are not to scale. The regions 14 and 16 can have the same or different layer thicknesses. The layer thickness of the first region 14 can be greater than, less than or equal to the layer thickness of the second region 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0074] device 10 [0075] component 12 [0076] first material 14 [0077] second material 16 [0078] power supply device 20 [0079] first conductor 21 [0080] second conductor 22 [0081] p first region 24 [0082] second region 26 [0083] third region 28 [0084] protective screen 30 [0085] electrical connection unit 35 [0086] atmosphere 40 [0087] temperature [0088] temperature Tv