Sheet-like light emitting display and method

A sheet-like display having a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed thereon comprising:

• a sheet of an optically transparent material having a broad surface and a plurality of elongated substantially parallel recesses therein defining elongated substantially parallel raised portions therebetween;
• a patterned electrode layer defining electrodes disposed on respective elongated raised portions of the broad surface of said optically transparent material,
• wherein said patterned electrode layer includes one of segments and strips of an optically-transparent electrically-conductive material;
• a plurality of elongated electrical conductors disposed in the plurality of elongated substantially parallel recesses of the broad surface of said sheet,
• wherein a respective one of said elongated electrical conductors is in electrical contact with the one of said electrodes disposed on the one of the raised portions contiguous the one of the elongated recesses including said respective one of said electrical conductors;
• a light-emitting material disposed at least on said patterned electrode layer on the raised portions of said sheet;
• and
• a pattern of electrical contacts disposed on said light-emitting material on the raised portions of said optically-transparent material,
• said pattern of electrical contacts including at least one of contact segments and contact strips,
• wherein said contact strips are disposed in a direction transverse to the elongated direction of said plurality of elongated electrical conductors,
• wherein the light-emitting material disposed between corresponding ones of said electrodes and said electrical contacts emits light responsive to an electrical signal applied between a corresponding one of said elongated electrical conductors and the corresponding one of said electrical contacts.

A method for making a light-emitting sheet having a plurality of light-emitting elements thereon comprising:

• providing a sheet of electrically insulating material having on a first surface thereof a plurality of elongated recesses defining ridges therebetween;
• depositing first electrodes at least on the ridges of the first surface;
• placing electrically conductive material in the elongated recesses and in electrical contact with a proximal one of the first electrodes;
• depositing a light-emitting material at least on the first electrodes;
• and
• depositing a pattern of electrical contacts on the light-emitting material and substantially overlying the first electrodes.

A method for making a display on a flat sheet comprising:

• forming alternating lands and grooves in the flat sheet;
• depositing a first electrically-conductive material in the grooves;
• depositing a thin layer of optically transparent second electrically-conductive material on the lands,
• wherein the second electrically-conductive material on the lands and the first electrically-conductive material in the grooves adjacent thereto are electrically connected at least at a plurality of locations;
• depositing a light emitting material on the second electrically-conductive material on the lands, wherein at least one of the second electrically-conductive material and the light emitting material is segmented to define pixel areas;
• depositing a layer of a third electrically-conductive material on the light emitting material to provide a plurality of contacts thereon each associated with a respective pixel area;
• and
• depositing a layer of insulating material over the light emitting material except on at least a portion of the contacts thereon.