Electroluminescent laminate and a process for forming address lines therein

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A process of forming an EL laminate having a phosphor layer sandwiched between a front and rear set of intersecting address lines, the rear address lines being formed on a rear substrate and the phosphor layer being separated from the rear address lines, and optionally from the front address lines, by one or more dielectric layers comprising the steps of: (a) forming the rear address lines on the substrate, the substrate having sufficient rigidity to support the laminate; (b) forming a dielectric layer on the rear address lines; (c) forming the phosphor layer above the dielectric layer; (d) optionally forming a transparent dielectric layer on the phosphor layer; and then (e) forming the front address lines on the underlying phosphor or transparent dielectric layer by depositing a layer of transparent conductive material on the underlying layer and scribing the address lines by applying a focused laser beam along areas of the transparent conductive material between the address lines to be formed, said laser beam having a wavelength which is substantially unabsorbed by the transparent conductive material, the transparent dielectric layer and the phosphor layer but which is absorbed by the underlying dielectric layer, such that a portion of the underlying dielectric layer is directly ablated by the laser beam and the overlying phosphor, optional transparent dielectric layer and transparent conductive material are indirectly ablated throughout their thicknesses in the areas between the address lines.
2.
The process of claim 1, wherein the laser beam has a wavelength greater than about 400 cm.
3.
The process of claim 2, wherein the composition and thicknesses of the layers are such that: .
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d =absorption coefficient of underlying dielectric layer .
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t =absorption coefficient of transparent layers T.
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d =thickness of underlying dielectric layer T