Synthesis and properties of a zinc cadmium sulfide based low-voltage cathodoluminescent phosphors

This paper describes the fabrication of a red-orange-emitting (Zn,Cd)S:(Ag,In,Sb) cathodoluminescent phosphor which offers enhanced brightness at a low excitation voltage. The effects of antimony and chlorine added to the starting mixture as coactivators are analyzed. The largest brightness gain, observed at C _Sb/C _Ag ≃ 1.3, is probably due to the formation of Ag⁺-Sb³⁺ associates. Increasing the C _Sb/C _Ag ratio to above ≃ 2.2 leads to quenching of luminescence.