Plasma addressing structure with wide or transparent reference electrode

An electro-optic display panel with a row of display elements, comprising:

• an ionizable gaseous medium held in communication with the row of display elements by a closed channel having a length and a bottom surface along which a reference electrode is positioned;
• ionizing means providing a data strobe signal to a data strobe electrode positioned on the bottom surface of the channel adjacent to the reference electrode for selectively effecting ionization of the ionizable gaseous medium to provide an interruptible electrical connection between the row of display elements and the electrical reference and thereby selectively addressing the row of display elements, the reference electrode and the data strobe electrode extending along the length of the channel and having respective first and second widths transverse to the length of the channel the first width being substantially greater than the second width;
• and
• a layer of electro-optic material aligned with the row of display elements for receiving display data when the row of display elements is addressed by the ionizing means.

An electro-optic display panel with a row of display elements, comprising:

• an ionizable gaseous medium held in communication with the row of display elements by a closed channel having a length and a bottom surface along which a reference electrode is positioned:
• ionizing means providing a data strobe signal to a data strobe electrode positioned on the bottom surface of the channel adjacent to the reference electrode for selectively effecting ionization of the ionizable gaseous medium to provide an interruptible electrical connection between the row of display elements and the electrical reference and thereby selectively addressing the row of display elements, the reference electrode including an optically transparent material with relatively low conductivity and having a first width transverse to the length of the channel and a substantially narrower strip of conductive, optically opaque material in electrical contact with the optically transparent material;
• and
• a layer of electro-optic material aligned with the row of display elements for receiving display data when the row of display elements is addressed by the ionizing means.