An Innovative University-Industry Collaboration to Develop New Phosphor Materials Using Combinatorial Methods

University Of Wyoming, Laramie WY

Investigators

Abstract

This project, using combinatorial search methods to discover and fabricate new phosphors for flat panel displays, aims at developing new methodologies to Discover new phosphor materials and Actually identify new materials that have attractive properties for flat displays. The general approach consists of using electrodeposition as a means of preparing new inorganic phosphor materials (e.g. oxides, silicates, aluminates, phosphates, etc.) that vary in composition over wide range of values. Because of the multicomponent nature of these phosphates (typically containing three or four different metals), the number of compositions that must be examined to effectively map compositional space for a given class of materials may be many thousands. The effort comprises activities in several distinct areas: Synthesis of new metal-containing precursors that can be used in electrodeposition, Development of electrodeposition methods that can be used as the substrate for electrodeposition, Development of a microelectrode array that can be used with the new precursor metal complexes, as the substrate electrodepositions, Actual phosphor deposition using the methods and precursors just described, Parallel testing of the emission characteristics of the arrays of phosphors, and Bulk synthesis and characterization of the most promising materials. The expected outcomes of the effort include: Development of new approaches for rapidly discovering phosphors, Identification of new materials that have attractive properties for flat panel displays, and Development of a long-term materials discovery and characterization effort at University of Wyoming (UW), that will dovetail with the institution and state's efforts at fostering the establishment and maintenance of a viable science and high technology based in the State. The effort involves 3 researchers at UW and one at Blue Sky Applied Technologies, Inc. (BSAT).