A method of surface-treating dry-powdered phosphor particles to control the triboelectric charge characteristics thereof includes the steps of providing the phosphor particles with a first coating of silica, dissolving a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of silanes and titanates in a suitable solvent to form a mixture, surface-coating the silica-coated phosphor particles with the mixture to provide a second coating of the coupling agent on the phosphor particles, filtering the surface-treated particles, rinsing the surface-treated particles with the solvent, and drying the surface-treated particles. The resultant dry-powdered surface-treated phosphor particles are used to make a luminescent viewing screen for a CRT. The coupling agent overlying the silica coating controls the triboelectric charging characteristics of the phosphor particles during the electrophotographic manufacturing of the screen.