Electroluminescent display device

Claim 1

An electroluminescent display device suitable for ac and unipolar pulse voltage operation, comprising: a transparent electrically insulating substrate; an electroluminescent layer comprised of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and at least one luminescingly active material; an electrically insulating layer formed on one surface of said electroluminescent layer; and first and second energizing means for applying signal voltages across said electroluminescent layer and said insulating layer corresponding to information to be displayed, wherein said first energizing means is interposed between said transparent substrate and said electroluminescent layer, and includes a plurality of semiconductive electrodes which contact said electroluminescent layer and which are comprised of a semiconductive material containing at least one chemical compound selected from the group consisting of the chemical compounds of Groups II-VI, each of said plurality of semiconductive electrodes including a semiconductive portion and a conductive portion having a conductivity higher than that of said semiconductive portion, said semiconductive portion being interposed between said conductive portion and said electroluminescent layer, and being a plurality of semiconductive strips arranged in parallel to one another, and said conductive portion being a plurality of conductive strips arranged in parallel to one another, one conductive strip being provided for each of said semiconductive strips, and each of said semiconductive strips covering one of said conductive strips and having tapered edges so that the surface thereof which contacts said electroluminescent layer has a surface area which is smaller than the surface area of the surface thereof which contacts said transparent substrate and wherein said second energizing means is arranged on said insulating layer on the surface thereof opposite said electroluminescent layer.