Multilayer interference filters enhance the luminance, emitted in the forward direction, of cathode-ray tubes used for projection television. These filters also affect the chromaticity of the emitted light. Both effects are calculated from first principles. Using these calculation methods, it is found that by the use of multilayer interference filters, the chromaticity of practically all blue emitting phosphors can be brought within the E.B.U. recommendations for the blue primary. Moreover, this change in chromaticity can be achieved without any loss in white-D capability.A color projection television (PTV) system comprises three cathode-ray (CR) tubes emitting green, red, and blue light, respectively. This light is mixed to produce a colored image at the projection screen. The phosPhor Y203:Eu 3+ is used as the red primary, while as a green primary a Tb3+-activated phosphor such as Y3A150~2:Tb 3+, Y3(A1, Ga)5012:Tb 3+, Y2SiOs:Tb 3 § or LaOCI:Tb 3+ is applied.The phosphor ZnS:Ag is widely used as a blue primary. The radiant, or energy, efficiency of this phosphor is high at low current densities, about 24%. However, the luminescence of ZnS:Ag exhibits a strong sublinear behavior as a function of current density, the efficiency decreases with increasing excitation density (1, 2). At peak current densities the efficiency is lower by an order of magnitude (3). Therefore, the maximum attainable white-D luminance of present project television systems is limited by the light output of the blue primary. To improve the brightness of projection television systems other (more linear) blue emitting phosphors have to be applied (3).For the application of alternative blue emitting phosphors two basic questions have to be considered. First, what is the maximum white-D luminance that can be obtained with given red and green primaries? Second, can an acceptable color reproduction be obtained? Apart from these questions, other properties such as sublinearity of the luminescence with increasing excitation density, deterioration of the efficiency under prolonged electron bombardment, thermal quenching at the high operating temperatures, and the decay time of the luminescence should also be taken into account. These topics are not dealt with here.The maximum attainable white-D luminance of PTV systems is proportional to the so-called white-D capability of the blue primary. This figure of merit is defined for a blue emitting phosphor as the luminous efficiency divided by the y-value of the chromaticity of its emission. We show that this white-D capability hardly depends on the emission spectrum of blue emitting phosphors. The color rendering properties of the PTV system, however, do depend on the emission spectrum. The chromaticity of the emission has to fulfill strict requirements. Application of most alternative blue emitting phosphors is hampered by a chromaticity that is not comparable with that of ZnS:Ag. Usually the y-value of the chromaticity is too high. Although the chromaticity could be adjusted by absorbing filters, the ac...