Electrical modeling of interface roughness in thin film electroluminescent devices

If two dielectric materials with different permittivities are in contact with each other and the interface between them is rough, then the electric field near this interface will be very inhomogeneous. In thin film electroluminescent devices, light is generated when electrons move back and forth in the phosphor layer under the influence of a strong ac electric field. At high electric fields, the electrons trapped in deep states at the interface between phosphor and insulator layer tunnel into the conduction band of the phosphor. This tunnel process is very sensitive to the electric field at the interface, so for a rough interface the electron flow will be very inhomogeneous. The relation between the interface roughness and the inhomogeneous charge transfer in thin film electroluminescent devices is investigated, based on an analytical flux tube model. The importance of the inhomogeneous current for the use of gray levels and aging is discussed.