Abstract: An electroluminescent device has an active electroluminescent layer 3 backed by a resistive layer 4 formed of an amorphous chalcogenide glass. The amorphous chalcogenide glass may comprise germanium, arsenic and/or antimony and selenium. The device comprises a glass base 1 on which there is supported a patterned transparent electrically conducting layer 2, the active luminescent layer 3, the amorphous chalcogenide glass backing layer 4, an optional dielectric layer 5 and an electrode 6. When an operating voltage is applied between layer 2 and electrode 6 the pattern in layer 2 becomes visible through base layer 1 and the contrast of the pattern is enhanced by the dark background produced by the backing layer 4.