ZnS:Tb/CdS core/shell nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by reverse micelle method, and with a core crystal diameter of 3.0 and a 0.5 nm thick US shell and used as an electroluminescent material. Electroluminescent (EL) devices having a hybrid organic/inorganic multilayer structure were fabricated. Electron-hole recombination was confined at the ZnS:Tb/CdS NCs layer. Three emissions peaked at 440 nm form ZnS host, 546 nm ((D4-7F5)-D-5) and 577 nm (D-5(4)-F-7(4)) of Tb3+ center were observed when the hybrid EL device at a bias of 13 V. The maximum luminance of the ZnS:Tb/CdS NCs-based reached 19 cd/m(2) at 25 V. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.