3200 Angstrom Phosphor

The objective of the contract is to conduct a research and development program leading to the production of a cathodoluminescent phosphor which emits whith high efficiency in the spectral region around 3200 A. This phosphor is to be incorporated into very high resolution cathode-ray tubes with fiber optic faceplates for data recording on UV sensitive, dry-process films. The efficiencies and maintenance values of all promising phosphor materials have been determined. Several samples of the barium zinc silicate series showed the highest CL efficiency yet reported for the 3200 A wavelength region. Sr2ZnSi2O7:Pb has been chosen as the final phosphor for the 3200 A tubes by virtue of its efficiency, insensitivity to loading, and resistance to degradation. Other compositions of the X-series were also found to be quite durable, but slightly less efficient. Further progress was realized in reducing the particle size of the 3800 A phosphor, Zn2SiO4:TiO2.