The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZnS based on diethyl zinc (DEZn) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) was investigated. ZnS thin films were grown between 200degreesC and 350degreesC and the effect of other processing conditions was examined. The growth temperature, the DEZn dosing and the purge times were found to be decisive parameters, which indicate that the film growth is strongly affected by the limited stability of the film surface after the DEZn pulse. ZnS:Mn TFEL samples with a phosphor layer based on the DEZn process were shown to exhibit efficient light emission and improved stability and symmetry with aging compared with traditional chloride-based TFEL samples. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.