The Luminescent Center in Self-Activated ZnS Phosphors

Abstract

A model for the ground state of the self‐activated luminescent center in phosphors proposed by Prener and Williams in 1956 has been confirmed experimentally. It is shown that a Zn vacancy is involved in the blue luminescence and that the spectrum depends on whether the required coactivator can occupy a Zn or S site near the vacancy. The calculated energy levels of the center using a simple model are in qualitative agreement with the observed spectra.