An input phosphor screen includes a substrate having a substantially smooth surface, and first and second phosphor layers both vapor-deposited sequentially on the substrate. The first layer is made of phosphor crystal particles having a mean diameter of 15 .mu.m or less. The second layer has a thickness ten or more times that of the first layer and is made of individual columnar crystals of alkali halide grown vertically on the crystal particles, standing close together with fine spaces therebetween. A third layer is preferably deposited on the second layer as a continuous film. These three layers can be deposited by evaporating a phosphor material or materials at a prescribed temperature and at a predetermined degree of vacuum.