Luminescent films have found extensive applications in flat panel display devices

which have advantages such as higher contrast and resolution

better thermal stability

superior thermal conductivity

a high degree of uniformity and better adhesion to the substrate as well as a reduced outgassing rate.In this paper

based on our research owrk

a review has been given on the basic processes

characterization methods

and current development and application situation for luminescent films fabricated by sol-gel method.Classified by compositions

the sol-gel derived luminescent films include inorganic luminescent films and organic/inorganic hybrid luminescent films

whose photoluminescent

cathodoluminescent

electroluminescent and field emission properties have been widely studied.Besides the silicate phosphor films which mainly employed alkoxysilanes as the main precursors for sol-gel transition

we also prepared other important phosphor films such as vanadates doped with rare earth ions by Pechini sol-gel process using inorganic salts as precursors

and realized the patterning of the phosphor films by soft lithography( micro-molding in capillaries).Finally

the future development tendency for the luminescent films are forecasted.