The degradation of cathodoluminescent (CL) brightness under prolonged electron-beam excitation of phosphors has been identified as one of the outstanding critical issues for flat-panel field-emission displays. In this letter, we have demonstrated that aTaSi2coating onY2O2S:Eu3+phosphors substantially inhibits the cathodoluminescent degradation characteristics without reducing its efficiency. The coating was deposited by pulsed laser deposition ofTaSi2targets onto a fluidized bed containing phosphor particles. Cathodoluminescent degradation experiments conducted at 2 keV and at150 &mgr;A/cm2,showed that the CL brightness decreased by more than 50&percent; after a Coulomb load of15 C/cm2on the uncoated material. In contrast, theTaSi2-coated phosphor powders showed much less degradation, with CL brightness only decreasing by approximately 12&percent; after electron irradiation with the same dose. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.