The idea for this book arose out of the realization that, although excellent surveys and a phosphor handbook are available, there is no single source covering the area of phosphate based phosphors especially for lamp industry. Moreover, as this field gets only limited attention in most general books on luminescence, there is a clear need for a book in which attention is specifically directed toward this rapidly growing field of solid state lighting and its many applications. This book is aimed at providing a sound introduction to the synthesis and optical characterization of phosphate phosphor for undergraduate and graduate students as well as teachers and researchers. The book provides guidance through the multidisciplinary field of solid state lighting specially phosphate phosphors for beginners, scientists and engineers from universities, research organizations, and especially industry. In order to make it useful for a wide audience, both fundamentals and applications are discussed, together.

The idea for this book arose out of the realization that, although excellent surveys and a phosphor handbook are available, there is no single source covering the area of phosphate based phosphors especially for lamp industry. Moreover, as this field gets only limited attention in most general books on luminescence, there is a clear need for a book in which attention is specifically directed toward this rapidly growing field of solid state lighting and its many applications. This book is aimed at providing a sound introduction to the synthesis and optical characterization of phosphate phosphor for undergraduate and graduate students as well as teachers and researchers. The book provides guidance through the multidisciplinary field of solid state lighting specially phosphate phosphors for beginners, scientists and engineers from universities, research organizations, and especially industry. In order to make it useful for a wide audience, both fundamentals and applications are discussed, together.

"Cold" light such as that emitted by a fluorescent lamp, surrounds us and aids our comfortable life. Nevertheless, a shadow of extinction has been cast over present fluorescent lamps. Waste electrical and electric equipment (WEEE) and restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electric equipment (RoHS) directives restrict the use of hazardous substances (lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium, etc.) in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment. After July 2006, electrical and electronic equipment containing such harmful chemicals can not be introduced to the European market. Although fluorescent lamps, which are based on a mercury-discharge, were not the object of the present restrictions, their use of mercury will be prohibited in the near future. Consequently, demand for new mercury free lamp materials for modern illuminating engineering have therefore increased recently. In concern to this issue, we had focused on synthesis of some selected rare earth activated light emitting materials (phosphors) from halosulphate, phosphate, halophosphate, oxides and fluoride materials. Aim of these materials for mercury free lamps applications.