A luminescent material, such as phosphor, is radiated by energy propagated from
the side of an optical fiber, causing the luminescent material to emit visible
light. The luminescent material can be of: a coincidentally-excited type, requiring
the absorption of two wavelengths of radiation to emit visible light; memory-type,
requiring absorption of one wavelength of charging radiation and absorption of
another wavelength of controlling radiation to emit visible light; and quenchable
type, requiring absorption of one wavelength of radiation to emit visible light
and absorption of another wavelength of radiation to stop, i.e. quench, the emission
of visible light. Two side-emitting optical fibers can be used, with each optical
fiber providing one of the needed radiation wavelengths. One embodiment of the
invention involves a matrix of optical fibers forming an optical display panel
made using coincidentally-excited phosphors. Side-emitting optical fibers are used
to simultaneously stimulate a phosphor pixel located between the two fibers, allowing
matrix addressing of each pixel individually. The optical display panel is constructed
of only optical components.
