present invention the aluminate phosphors have a formula of sr 1 u2212 1 5y pr y al 12 o 19 sr 1 u2212 x u2212 1 5y ca x pr y al 12 o 19 or sr 1 u2212 x u2212 z ca x mg z al 12 u2212 z pr z o 19 where 0 lt x lt 1 y is in the range from about 0 005 to about 0 5 z is in the range from about 0 005 to about 0 5 x 1 5y u2266 1 and x z lt 1 more particularly phosphors having the quantum splitting behavior have been made that have composition of sr 0 9 pr 0 1 al 12 o 19 sr 0 9 pr 0 1 mg 0 1 al 11 9 o 19 and sr 0 725 ca 0 175 pr 0 1 al 11 9 mg 0 1 o 19 in another preferred embodiment of the present invention the aluminate phosphors have a formula of ca 1 u2212 z pr z al 12 o 19 ca 1 u2212 z pr z mgal 11 33 o 19 or ca 1 u2212 z pr z mgal 14 o 23 where z is in the range from about 0 005 to about 0 5 more preferably from about 0 005.