A composite substrate in which the surface of the insulating layer is not influenced by the electrode layer and which requires neither a grinding process nor a sol-gel process, is easy to produce and can provide a thin-film EL device having a high display quality when used therein; a thin-film EL device using the substrate; and a production process for the device. The thin-film EL device is produced by forming a luminescent layer, other insulating layer and other electrode layer successively on a composite substrate comprising a substrate; an electrode layer embedded in the substrate in such a manner that the electrode layer and the substrate are in one plane; and an insulating layer formed on the surface of a composite comprising the substrate and the electrode layer.