A technology used to produce a very thin display screen, called a flat-panel display, used in some portable computers. An ELD works by sandwiching a thin film of phosphorescent substance between two plates. One plate is coated with vertical wires and the other with horizontal wires, forming a grid. When an electrical current is passed through a horizontal and vertical wire, the phosphorescent film at the intersection glows, creating a point of light, or pixel.
Other types of flat-panel displays include LCD displays and gas-plasma displays, both of which are more common than ELDs.
Active-Matrix EL Displays article This June 1995 Byte Magazine article describes Planar America's efforts in developing an AMEL (active-matrix electroluminescent) display. In addition, display advantages of electroluminescent displays are listed.
Report on Japanese display technology R&D This June 92 report is one in a series of reports prepared through the Japanese Technology Evaluation Center (JTEC), sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) . The report describes research and development efforts in Japan in the area of display technologies. Includes information on electroluminescent, plasma, and liquid crystal displays.