Luminescence and Structural Properties of Thiogallate Phosphors Ce+3 and Eu+2-Activated Phosphors. Part I

Thiogallate compounds represented by the formula were prepared by solid‐state reaction. Single crystals of the alkaline earth derivatives were also obtained by vapor transport of the corresponding polycrystalline material. X‐ray diffraction analyses of the single crystals show that is cubic belonging to space group while and are isomorphous belonging to the orthorhombic space group . X‐ray powder diffraction results on the other derivatives indicate that they are all isostructural with the Sr analogue. The alkaline earth thiogallates are the basis of a new type of sulfide phosphor. Rare earth ions readily substitute for the alkaline earth in the host lattice resulting in phosphors that fluoresce strongly under ultraviolet and cathode rays. The luminescence properties of the host compounds and the Ce +3 and Eu +2 ‐Activated phosphors are described.