Matrix-addressable optoelectronic apparatus and electrode means in the same

A matrix-addressable optoelectronic apparatus comprising a functional medium (3) in the form of an optoelectronically active material provided in a global layer in sandwich between first and second electrode means (EM1,EM2), each with parallel strip-like electrodes (1;2), wherein the electrodes (2) of the second electrode means (EM2) are oriented at an angle to the electrodes (1) of the first electrode means (EM1), wherein functional elements (5) are formed in volumes of the active material (3) defined at respective overlaps between the electrodes (1) of the first electrode means (EM1) and the electrodes (2) of the second electrode means (EM2) to provide a matrix-addressable array with the electrodes (1,2) in contact with the active material (3), wherein a functional element (5) in the active material can be activated by applying a voltage to the crossing electrodes (1,2) defining the element to form a light-emitting, light-absorbing, reflecting or polarizing pixel in a display device, or alternatively by incident light to form a pixel in an optical detector and outputting a voltage via the electrodes (1,2) crossing at the pixel, said active material (3) in either case being selected as an inorganic or organic material and capable according to the intended function either to emit, absorb, reflect or polarize light upon being a activated by an applied voltage or to output a voltage or current when stimulated by incident light, or both, whereby the addressing of a pixel (5) in any case takes place in a matrix-addressing scheme, and wherein the electrodes (1;2) of at least one of the electrode sets (EM1;EM2) are made of a transparent or translucent material,

• characterized in that the electrodes (1;2) of each electrode means (EM1;EM2) are provided in a respective electrode layer, that the electrodes (1;2) in the electrode means (EM1;EM2) all have about the same width w, that electrodes (1;2) of each electrode (EM1,EM2) means are mutually insulated electrically by an insulating thin film (6) of thickness δ, the magnitude of δ being a fraction of the width w, and that minimum magnitude of w is comparable to a process-constrained minimum feature size f, whereby the fill factor of the pixels (5) in the optoelectronically active material (3) relative thereto is close to 1 and the number of pixels (5) approaches a maximum defined by the total area A of the active material (3) sandwiched between the electrode means (EM1;EM2), and said feature size f, said maximum thus being defined by A/f2.