Multilayer stacked electroluminescent devices

A device concept, the multilayer stacked electroluminescent device is presented. This device consists of a series of double insulating-layer electroluminescent units stacked up on top of one another, separated by transparent electrodes and alternately biased in opposite directions. This unique design allows independent control of the drive voltage and the total phosphor thickness. The drive voltage depends only on the individual phosphor layer thickness while the total phosphor thickness, and thus the total brightness, can be increased by increasing the number of layers. The anticipated enhancement in brightness was predicted by equivalent circuit analysis and demonstrated by prototype devices fabricated by atomic layer epitaxy.