The use of volatile P-diketonate chelates as precursors for the deposition of thin films for electroluminescent devices is reviewed. Alternating current thin film electroluminescent (ACTFEL) devices consist of an emitting layer sandwiched between two dielectric layers, together with conducting and buffer layers. Besides various physical deposition techniques, the commonly applied methods for preparing thin films are chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and its particular variant atomic layer epitaxy (ALE). Alkaline earth P-diketonates are used as precursors for deposition of the semiconducting alkaline earth sulfide and thiogallate films that provide the matrix in emissive layers, while P-diketonates of lanthanides and a few other metals (Mn, Na, K) are precursors for dopants and codopants producing colors. P-Diketonate precursors can also be used for the preparation of dielectric alkaline earth titanate and oxide layers. Current research on thin film electroluminescent materials is focused on improving the blue color produced by cerium doping of alkaline earth sulfide and thiogallate matrices. The synthesis and properties of P-diketonate chelates and the growth and characterization of the thin films obtained with them are presented and discussed. This review of precursors for TFEL materials is also relevant for other materials, including oxide superconductors.