Electrode structures and electrooptic light gate systems

In a method of increasing feasible electrode density in electrode structures having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes on a substrate having spaced parallel edges, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each first electrode array a first common electrode located at a first side of said elongate region;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each second electrode array a second common electrode located at an opposite second side of said elongate region;
• providing terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• providing on said second side of said elongate region of the substrate first individual terminals for the second electrodes in each first electrode array;
• spacing any first individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any of said first electrode arrays from the first individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said other second electrode, while arranging said first individual terminals side by side along one of said parallel edges to provide each first individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through said one of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular first terminal;
• providing on said first side of the elongate region of the substrate second individual terminals for the second electrodes in each second electrode array;
• spacing any second individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any one of said second electrode arrays from the second individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one second electrode and the latter other second electrode, while arranging said second individual terminals side by side along the other of said parallel edges to provide each second individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through said other of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular second individual terminal.

In a method of providing an electrically switchable light gate structure having spaced parallel electrodes on a substrate having spaced parallel edges and including electrooptically active solid state material, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said electrodes and arranging electrodes in each array into electrode groups of at least two electrodes per group;
• providing on one side of said elongate region of the substrate first individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array;
• spacing any first individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays from the first individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said other electrode group, while arranging said first individual terminals side by side along one of said parallel edges to provide each first individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through said one of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular first terminal;
• providing on the other side of the elongate region of the substrate second individual terminals for the electrode groups in each second electrode array;
• spacing any second individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any one of said second electrode arrays from the second individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group, while arranging said second individual terminals side by side along the other of said parallel edges to provide each second individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through the other of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular second individual terminal.

In a method of providing an electrically switchable light gate structure having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes on a substrate having spaced parallel edges and including electrooptically active solid state material, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes and arranging the second electrodes in each array into electrode groups of at least two electrodes per group;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each first electrode array a first common electrode located at a first side of said elongate region;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each second electrode array a second common electrode located at an opposite second side of said elongate region;
• providing terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• providing on said second side of said elongate region of the substrate first individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array;
• spacing any first individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays from the first individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said other electrode group, while arranging said first individual terminals side by side along one of said parallel edges to provide each first individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through said one of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular first terminal;
• providing on said first side of the elongate region of the substrate second individual terminals for the electrode groups in each second electrode array;
• spacing any second individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any one of said second electrode arrays from the second individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group, while arranging said second individual terminals side by side along the other of said parallel edges to provide each second individual terminal with an individual connecting lead path being free of any other terminal and intersecting a plane through said other of said parallel edges for connection of a lead to the particular second individual terminal.

In a method of increasing feasible electrode density in electrode structures having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes on a substrate, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each first electrode array a first common electrode located at a first side of said elongate region;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each second electrode array a second common electrode located at an opposite second side of said elongate region;
• providing terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• providing an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one second electrode from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode;
• aligning the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays along a first line on said second side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• and
• aligning the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays along a second line on said first side of the elongate region.

In a method of increasing feasible electrode density in electrode structures having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes in a light gate structure including electrooptically active solid state material, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said light gate structure;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each first electrode array a first common electrode located at a first side of said elongate region;
• providing for each plurality of first electrodes in each second electrode array a second common electrode located at an opposite second side of said elongate region;
• providing terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• providing an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one second electrode from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode;
• aligning the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays along a first line on said second side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• and
• aligning the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays along a second line on said first side of the elongate region.

In a method of increasing feasible electrode density in electrode structures having spaced parallel electrodes on a substrate, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said electrodes;
• providing individual terminals for said electrodes;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one of said electrodes from the individual terminal of any other electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode and said other electrode;
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays along a line on one side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• and
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays along a line on the other side of the elongate region.

In a method of increasing feasible electrode density in electrode structures having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes on a substrate, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes;
• providing individual terminals for said second electrodes;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one of said second electrodes from the individual terminal of any other second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said other second electrode;
• distributing the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays along a line on one side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• distributing the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays along a line on the other side of the elongate region;
• and
• providing terminal means for said first electrodes.

In a method of providing an electrically switchable light gate structure having spaced parallel electrodes on a substrate including electrooptically active solid state material, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays a plurality of said electrodes and arranging electrodes in each array into electrode groups of at least two electrodes per group;
• providing an individual terminal for each electrode group;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one of said electrode groups from the individual terminal of any other electrode group by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said other electrode group;
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrode groups in each of said first electrode arrays along a line on one side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• and
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrode groups in each of said second electrode arrays along a line on the other side of the elongate region.

In a method of providing an electrically switchable light gate structure having spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes on a substrate including electrooptically active solid state material, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• subdividing said spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate;
• allocating to each of said electrode arrays
• a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes and arranging the second electrodes in each array into at least two distinct electrode groups per array;
• providing an individual terminal for each electrode group;
• spacing any individual terminal of any one of said electrode groups from the individual terminal of any other electrode group by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said other electrode group;
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrode groups in each of said first electrode arrays along a line on one side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• distributing the individual terminals of the electrode groups in each of said second electrode arrays along a line on the other side of the elongate region;
• and
• providing terminal means for said first electrodes.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate having spaced parallel edges;
• spaced parallel electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said electrodes;
• means for individually connecting the electrodes in each first electrode array to circuity along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through one of said parallel edges, including first individual terminals for the electrodes in each first electrode array arranged side by side on one side of said elongate region of the substrate along said one parallel edge, whereby each first individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said one parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any first individual terminal of any one of the electrodes in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the first individual terminal of any other electrode in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode and said adjacent electrode;
• and
• means for individually connecting the electrodes in each second electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through the other of said parallel edges, including second individual terminals for the electrodes in each second electrode array arranged side by side on ther other side of said elongate region of the substrate along said other parallel edge, whereby each second individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said other parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any second individual terminal of any one of the electrodes in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode and the latter other electrode.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate having spaced parallel edges;
• first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges;
• each first electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, with said first and second electrodes of each first electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region;
• a first common electrode for the first electrodes in each first electrode array, located at a first side of said elongate region;
• means for individually connecting the second electrodes in each first electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through one of said parallel edges, including first individual terminals for the second electrodes in each first electrode array arranged side by side on an opposite second side of said elongate region of the substrate along said one parallel edge, whereby each first individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said one parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any first individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the first individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode;
• and
• each second electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, with the latter first and second electrodes of each second electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region;
• a second common electrode for the first electrodes in each second electrode array, located at said second side of said elongate region;
• terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• means for individually connecting the second electrodes in each second electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through the other of said parallel edges, including second individual terminals for the second electrodes in each second electrode array arranged side by side on said first side of said elongate region of the substrate along said other parallel edge, whereby each second individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said other parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any second individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one second electrode and the latter other second electrode.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate having spaced parallel edges;
• spaced parallel electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said electrodes arranged in groups of at least two electrodes per group;
• means for individually connecting the electrode groups in each first electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through one of said parallel edges, including first individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array arranged side by side on one side of said elongate region of the substrate along said one parallel edge, whereby each first individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said one parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any first individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the first individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said adjacent electrode group;
• and
• means for individually connecting the electrode groups in each second electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through the other of said parallel edges, including second individual terminals for the electrode groups in each second electrode array arranged side by side on the other side of said elongate region of the substrate along said other parallel edge, whereby each second individal terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said other parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any second individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate having spaced parallel edges;
• first and second electrode arrays alternating with each other along an elongate region of said substrate between said spaced parallel edges;
• each first electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in groups of at least two second electrodes per group, with said first and second electrodes of each first electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region;
• a first common electrode for the first electrodes in each first electrode array, located at a first side of said elongate region;
• means for individually connecting the electrode groups in each first electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through one of said parallel edges, including first individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array arranged side by side on an opposite second side of said elongate region of the substrate along said one parallel edge, whereby each first individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said one parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any first individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the first individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said adjacent electrode group;
• and
• each second electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, with the latter first and second electrodes of each second electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region;
• a second common electrode for the first electrodes in each second electrode array, located at said second side of said elongate region;
• terminal means for said first and second common electrodes;
• means for individually connecting the electrode groups in each second electrode array to circuitry along individual connecting lead paths intersecting a plane through the other of said parallel edges, including second individual terminals for the second electrode groups in each second electrode array arranged side by side on said first side of said elongate region of the substrate along said other parallel edge, whereby each second individual terminal has an individual connecting lead path to said other parallel edge free of any other terminal, with any second individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate;
• first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of said substrate;
• each first electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes of each first electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region, a first common electrode for the first electrode in the particular first electrode array, said first common electrode being located at a first side of said elongate region, and an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes, any individual terminal of any one second electrode being spaced from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrodes and said adjacent second electrode, and the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays being aligned along a first line on said second side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• each second electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes of
• each second electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and being interdigitated along part of said elongate region, a second common electrode for the first electrodes in the particular second electrode array, said second common electrode being located at a second side of said elongate region, and an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes, any individual terminal of any one second electrode being spaced from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode, and the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays being aligned along a second line on said first side of the elongate region.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a light gate structure including electrooptically active solid state material;
• first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of said light gate structure;
• each first electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes of each first electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and interdigitated along part of said elongate region, a first common electrode for the first electrodes in the particular first electrode array, said first common electrode being located at a first side of said elongate region, and an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes, any individual terminal of any one second electrode being spaced from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode, and the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said first electrode arrays being aligned along a first line on said second side of the elongate region of the substrate;
• each second electrode array having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes of each second electrode array being parallel to, and spaced from, each other and being interdigitated along part of said elongate region, a second common electrode for the first electrodes in the particular second electrode array, said second common electrode being located at a second side of said elongate region, and an individual terminal for each of said second electrodes, any individual terminal of any one second electrode being spaced from any other individual terminal of any adjacent second electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said adjacent second electrode, and the individual terminals of the second electrodes in each of said second electrode arrays being aligned along a second line on said first side of the elongate region;
• and
• terminal means for said first and second common electrodes.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate;
• spaced parallel electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of sid substrate, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said electrodes;
• individual terminals for the electrodes in each first electrode array distributed along a line on one said of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrodes in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode and said other electrode;
• and individual terminals for the electrodes in each second electrode array distributed along a line on the opposite side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrodes in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode and the latter other electrode.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate;
• spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of said substrate, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said first and second electrodes;
• individual terminals for the second electrodes in each first electrode array distributed along a line on one side of said elongat region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one second electrode and said other second electrode;
• individual terminals for the second electrodes in each second electrode array distributed along a line on the opposite side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the second electrodes in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other second electrode in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode and the latter other electrode;
• and
• terminal means for said first electrodes.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate;
• spaced parallel electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of said substrate, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said electrodes arranged in electrode groups of at least two electrodes per group;
• individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array distributed along a line on one side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode group and said other electrode group;
• and
• individual terminals for the electrode groups in each second electrode array distributed along a line on the opposite side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group.

An article of manufacture comprising in combination:

• a substrate;
• spaced parallel interdigitated first and second electrodes subdivided on said substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of said substrate, with each of said first and second electrode arrays including a plurality of said first electrodes and a plurality of said second electrodes arranged in electrode groups of at least two second electrodes per group;
• individual terminals for the electrode groups in each first electrode array distributed along a line on one side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said first electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular first electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between said one electrode
• group and said other electrode group;
• and individual terminals for the electrode groups in each second electrode array distributed along a line on the opposite side of said elongate region of the substrate, with any individual terminal of any one of the electrode groups in any of said second electrode arrays being spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode group in the particular second electrode array by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between the latter one electrode group and the latter other electrode group.

In a method of providing a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• providing a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• providing on said substrate a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions;
• arranging pluralities of said first electrodes into first groups;
• providing common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• arranging said second electrodes into second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• and
• providing for each second group a terminal for the second electrodes in the particular second group, wherein
• more than twice as many first electrodes are provided in any first group than second electrodes in any second group.

In a method of providing a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• providing a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• providing on said substrate a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions;
• arranging pluralities of said first electrodes into first groups;
• providing common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• arranging said second electrodes into second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• and
• providing for each second group a terminal for the second electrodes in the particular second group, wherein
• each first group is provided with a number of first electrodes that is a multiple of the number of second electrodes in each second group.

In a method of providing a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of:

• providing a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• providing on said substrate a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions;
• arranging pluralities of said first electrodes into first groups;
• providing common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• arranging said second electrodes into second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• and
• providing for each second group a terminal for the second electrodes in the particular second group providing part of said first electrodes by extending a serpentine common electrode through said first groups;
• and
• connecting said common terminal means to said serpentine common electrode.

In a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions on said substrate;
• pluralities of said first electrodes being present in first groups;
• said second electrodes being present in second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• and
• a terminal for the second electrodes in each second group, wherein
• the number of first electrodes in any first group is more than twice the number of second electrodes in any second group.

In a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions on said substrate;
• pluralities of said first electrodes being present in first groups;
• said second electrodes being present in second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• and
• a terminal for the second electrodes in each second group wherein
• the number of first electrodes in each first group is a multiple of the number of second electrodes in each second group.

In a light gate structure, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a substrate including electrooptically active light gate material;
• a plurality of interdigitated first and second electrodes defining light gate regions on said substrate;
• pluralities of said first electrodes being present in first groups;
• said second electrodes being present in second groups of less second electrodes per each second group than first electrodes in each first group;
• common terminal means for the first electrodes in each first group;
• a terminal for the second electrodes in each second group;
• and
• a serpentine common electrode extending through said first groups along part of said first electrodes and connected to said common terminal means.