Electrooptical cell or photovoltaic cell, and method for making same

Electro-optical cell, in particular a liquid crystal cell, or an improved electrochemical photovoltaic cell including:

• a first transparent front strip (2) whose upper surface (36) constitutes the front face of said cell;
• a second back strip (4) which may or may not be transparent, and whose lower surface (34) constitutes the back face of said cell;
• the strips (2, 4) each including, on their facing faces, at least one electrode (6, 8), these electrodes (6, 8) being intended to be connected to an electric supply or control circuit and coming partially level with the edge of the strip (2, 4) onto which they have been deposited to define a lateral electric contact zone (22) in distinct locations on the cell periphery;
• the strips (2, 4) being separated by a sealing frame (14) defining a volume (16) for the confinement of a photoelectrically or electrooptically active medium;
• and
• electric connecting means (24) for establishing the electric connection between each electrode (6, 8) and said supply or control circuit,
• characterised in that the connecting means (24) include a contact pad (26) made of an electrically conductive material added onto each electrode (6, 8) in the lateral electric contact zone (22) where the latter is level with the edge of the strip (2, 4) onto which it has been deposited, so as to fill the volume defined by the electrode (6, 8) onto which the contact pad (26) has been deposited, the strip respectively (4, 2) which is opposite to this electrode (6, 8), the sealing frame (14) and the edge of each strip (2, 4).