Luminescent and Electrical Characterization of ZnS:Tb Thin-Film Electroluminescent Devices Using Multilayered Insulators

The ZnS:Tb thin-film electroluminescent devices were grown by atomic layer deposition with utilizing single-layer aluminum oxide and/or multilayered tantalum aluminum oxide, $Ta_xAl_yO$, as upper and lower insulating layers. These devices were investigated in terms of the luminescent and electrical characteristics. From this analysis, the devices using the $Ta_xAl_yO$ instead of $Al_2O_3$ were observed to have a lower threshold voltage for emission due to the higher relative dielectric constant of $Ta_xAl_yO$ insulators than that of the $Al_2O_3$ device. And there was a large amount of dynamic space charge generation in the phosphor of the device with the $Ta_xAl_yO$ insulators seemingly due to electron multiplication such as trap ionization.