Preparation of Zn₂SiO₄:Mn²⁺ films by electrical discharge pulse method

Abstract

The use of electrical discharge pulses is a new method to prepare thin films. The conventional phosphor thin film preparation technology uses rf sputtering or vacuum vapor deposition. However, thin films prepared by conventional methods are formed in amorphousness on the substrates. In contrast, this new method uses the electrical discharge energy between an electrode and a conductive substrate. When an electrical pulse is discharged between the electrode and the substrate, the electrode material, which is zinc and phosphor, moves to the substrate. Consequently, this new method can be used to produce light‐emitting devices. In this study, we used the phosphor Zn2SiO4:Mn2+. We were able to prepare luminescent Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ films using a discharge currant of 10 A, at a voltage of 80 V and weight ratio of zinc to Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ of 6:4. We evaluated the resultant films with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD).