Patent ID: 6869544

Claim:
A process for synthesizing nano-scale yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) fluorescent powders having formula (I): (Y 3−x R 1 x)(Al 5−y R 2 y )O 12 (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the elements consisting of rare earth metals and transition metals, and each of x and y is independently a value between 0 and 1.5, where the process comprises the steps: (a) forming an aqueous solution comprising rare earth metal ions, transition metal ions, yttrium ion and aluminum ions; (b) adding a precipitating agent to the aqueous solution of step (a) in an amount sufficient to allow the rare earth metal ions, transition metal ions, yttrium ion and aluminum ions in the aqueous solution to substantially complex with the precipitating agent; (c) drying the gel of step (b) to obtain a dried gel; (d) adding a dehydroxying compound to the dried gel of step (c) and subjecting it to a further drying step; and (e) sintering the product of step (d) at a temperature between 700 and 1400° C. to obtain the nano-scale yttrium aluminum garnet fluorescent powders of formula (I).