Abstract: The invention concerns active matrix light-emitting display devices and a method of their fabrication wherein the problem of chemically unstable cathode electrode layers is solved, simultaneously offering a considerably higher aperture ratio and brightness with rather low driving voltages. These advantages are achieved by separate manufacture of a first substrate bearing TFT elements of which the source and drain regions are at first covered by a non-conductive passivation layer followed by a deposition of a chemically stable cathode material layer and deposition of an appropriately selected EL material layer.