To provide a phosphor having an
emission spectrum with a broad peak in a range from yellow color to red color (580 nm to 680 nm) and an excellent excitation band on the longer
wavelength side from
near ultraviolet /
ultraviolet of excitation light to visible light (250 nm to 550 nm), and having an improved
emission intensity. The
phosphor is provided, which is given by a general composition formula expressed by MmAaBbOoNn:Z, (wherein element M is more than one kind of element having bivalent valency, element A is more than one kind of element having tervalent valency selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, Tl, Y, Sc, P, As, Sb, and Bi, element B is more than one kind of element having tetravalent valency, O is
oxygen, N is
nitrogen, and element Z is more than one kind of element selected from
rare earth elements or transitional
metal elements, satisfying m>0, a>0, b>0 o≧0, and n=2 / 3m+a+4 / 3b−2 / 3o), and further containing
boron and / or
fluorine.