Carbothermal reduction synthesis using CaCN₂ as calcium and carbon sources for CaAlSiN₃:Eu²⁺ phosphor and their luminescence properties

High-quality powders of mixed metal nitride phosphor, CaAlSiN ₃:Eu²⁺, were successfully synthesized using only inexpensive and air-stable materials, viz. CaCN₂, CaCO ₃:Eu³⁺, AlN, and Si₃N₄, with no impurities such as AlN or carbon residue by a CRN method even under conditions of normal N₂ pressure (0.1 MPa) and a moderate temperature of 1600 °C for 57 h. The resultant phosphors were well crystallized and gave an intense red emission band peaking at about 650nm by optimizing the dopant amount of Eu²⁺ ion (ca. 3 atom%).