Phosphor | Light Emitting, Fluorescent, Luminescent

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class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="457505"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/phosphor">phosphor</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em 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Hundreds of thousands of phosphors have been synthesized, each one having its own characteristic colour of emission and period of time during which light is emitted after excitation ceases. When certain phosphors luminesce from electron excitation, the process is called <span id="ref895516"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/electroluminescence" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">electroluminescence</a>, and these phosphors are used in the production of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/television-technology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">television</a> screens and computer monitors. Phosphors excited by ultraviolet, visible, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/infrared-radiation" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">infrared radiation</a> are used principally in the so-called <span id="ref895518"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/fluorescent-lamp" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fluorescent lamps</a> commonly employed for general illumination.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/William-L-Hosch/6481">William L. 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Phosphor | Light Emitting, Fluorescent, Luminescent | Britannica