Patent ID: 8025816

Claim:
A phosphor comprising a silicon-containing solid matrix and semiconductor superfine particles dispersed therein at a concentration of 5×10 4 to 1×10 −2 mol/L, said semiconductor superfine particles having a fluorescence quantum yield of 3% or greater and a diameter of 1.5 to 5 nm, wherein the semiconductor superfine particles have a surface coating of a material other than material found in the silicon-containing solid matrix, wherein the silicon-containing solid matrix is a glass matrix formed by a sol-gel process using an organoalkoxysilane, and wherein the organoalkoxysilane is a compound expressed by the formula: X n —Si(OR 1 ) 4-n (I) wherein X is a group expressed by CH 2 ═CH—, an oxirane-containing group, a group expressed by H 2 NC m H 2m —, a group expressed by CH 2 ═C(CH 3 )COOC p H 2p —, a group expressed by HSC q H 2q —, or a phenyl group; R 1 is a lower alkyl group; n is 1, 2, or 3; m is an integer from 1 to 6; p is an integer from 1 to 5; and q is an integer from 1 to 10.