Flexible electroluminescent devices and systems

An electroluminescent device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a rear electrode;
• a dielectric layer;
• a phosphor layer having a thickness from about 20 microns to about 70 microns;
• and
• an intrinsically conductive polymer layer having a thickness of from about 0.3 to about 5 microns and an elongation less than about 100%;
• wherein the electroluminescent device demonstrates a loss of brightness of less than about 10% after undergoing repeated creasing, crushing, flexing, twisting, abrading, and/or stretching.

An electroluminescent device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a rear electrode;
• a dielectric layer;
• a phosphor layer;
• and
• an intrinsically conductive layer;
• wherein each layer has a different individual elongation break point and layers with longer elongation break points support adjacent layers such that the device substantially maintains brightness after undergoing mechanical stress.

A flexible electroluminescent device comprising a rear electrode layer, a dielectric layer, a phosphor layer, a conductive layer comprising a conductive polymer, and a front electrode, wherein:

• the dielectric layer includes a pigment and a polymer, wherein the pigment to volume concentration is greater than the critical pigment volume concentration;
• the conductive layer has a thickness of from about 0.3 to about 5 microns and an elongation less than about 100%;
• the phosphor layer has a thickness from about 20 microns to about 70 microns;
• and
• wherein each layer has a different individual elongation break point and layers with longer elongation break points support adjacent layers such that the device substantially maintains brightness after undergoing mechanical stress.

A method of making a flexible electroluminescent device, the method comprising:

• depositing a flexible rear electrode layer on a flexible substrate;
• depositing a flexible dielectric layer adjacent the rear electrode and opposite the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer includes at least a binder and a pigment and wherein the pigment to volume ratio is greater than the critical pigment volume concentration;
• depositing a flexible phosphor layer having a thickness from about 20 microns to about 75 microns adjacent the dielectric layer and opposite the rear electrode;
• and
• depositing a conductive layer having an elongation less than about 100% adjacent the phosphor layer and opposite the dielectric layer;
• wherein each layer has a different individual elongation break point and layers with longer elongation break points support adjacent layers such that the device substantially maintains brightness after undergoing mechanical stress.