Actively Surface Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Cells-Another Way To Realize A Display With Memory

An actively surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (ASSFLC) cell is proposed to increase the time interval for which a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) keeps its switched homogeneous structure. The principle of an ASSFLC cell is based on the use of a solid ferro-electrics as a surface producing FLC anchoring energy dependent on the external electric field. An external electric field orientates both the polarization in solid ferroelectrics and spontaneous polarization of FLC in one direction. After switching off the electric field the polarization in solid ferroelectrics remains nonzero and stabilizes the uniform structure of FLC.