Patent attributes
An electroluminescent element wherein an electrode 1, an electroluminescent layer 2, a high-refractive-index layer 3 (a transparent electrode layer 3A and an intermediate layer 3B) and a translucent body 4 are sequentially laminated. On light-emitting-surface side of the high-refractive-index layer 3 and the translucent body 4, layers 5A and 5B individually having a light-scattering function are provided respectively. The presence of the light-scattering layers 5A and 5B on the light-emitting-surface side of the high-refractive-index layer 3 and the translucent body 4 enables to emit light from the electroluminescent element through multiple scattering of guided light, which travels inside the translucent body 4 in the planar direction while being totally reflected by the interface between the translucent body 4 and air, and other guided light, which travels inside a thin film including the electroluminescent layer 2 and the high-refractive-index layer 3.