Results are presented from a systematic study to develop and optimize a metallorganic chemical vapor deposition process for the growth of high brightness cerium-doped strontium sulfide (SrS:Ce) thin films for electroluminescent (EL) display applications. Growth of SrS:Ce was investigated in the temperature range from 400 to 530 degrees C using strontium(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptadionato)trimer (Sr(tmhd)(2) trimer), tetrakis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptadionato)cerium (Ce(tmhd)(4)), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as reactants. Various Sr and H2S reactant flows and associated partial pressures were examined to explore corresponding effects on the him's physical, chemical, and optical properties. Film structural and compositional properties were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, nuclear reaction analysis for hydrogen profiling, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. EL measurements were carried out on SrS:Ce-based dielectric-sulfur-dielectric stacks. The results of these studies yielded key correlations between process parameters and film texture, grain size, and EL performance. in particular, the highest EL performance was obtained for films with a predominantly (200) orientation, grain size larger than 1.0 mu m, and Ce dopant level similar to 0.14 atom %. A brightness of 51 cd/m(2) and efficiency of 0.22 lm/W were observed, as measured at 40 V above threshold voltage and 60 Hz frequency.