Current Applications of Electroluminescence

Abstract

This paper describes the construction of electroluminescent lamps using ceramic enamelling techniques and compares their properties with the more familiar electroluminescent lamp which employs organic dielectric materials. These ‘ceramic’ lamps lend themselves to applications where a low brightness source of robust construction is required together with a long life, for example, instrument lighting as in motor-car dashboards, electric clocks, telephone dials, etc. The ‘organic’ lamp is already used for aircraft signs, but digital indicators and other indicator panels can be constructed. The ‘organic’ type can also be combined with photoconductive materials to provide a number of interesting devices such as ‘optrons’, and image intensifiers and converters, and the X-ray image conveter is a particularly promising application. Some new phosphors which show a marked D.C. electroluminescence when used in ceramic constructions are described.