According to an exemplary embodiment, a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) structure includes a number of pixel electrodes overlying an interlayer dielectric, where diagonally adjacent pixel electrodes are separated by a gap. The LCoS structure further includes a self-planarizing passivation dielectric situated over the pixel electrodes and in the gap, where the self-planarizing passivation dielectric has a selected thickness. The self-planarizing passivation dielectric can be an Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO) stack. The selected thickness of the self-planarizing passivation dielectric causes the self-planarizing passivation dielectric to have a substantially planar top surface. In one embodiment, the thickness of the self-planarizing passivation dielectric can be approximately equal to twice a width of the gap.