Patent ID: 6307610
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A liquid crystal device comprising:a liquid crystal cell including a layer of ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal material contained between two walls bearing electrodes and surface treated to give both an alignment and a surface pretilt to liquid crystal molecules;wherein the surface pretilt .xi. is equal to or greater than .theta.-.vertline..delta..vertline. over a device operating temperature range, a ratio of azumuthal to zenithal anchoring energies .beta./.alpha. of at least 0.05 and a positive energy difference .DELTA.W.sub.s between the liquid crystal director at the surface in the C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 states the arrangement of angles and energies being arranged to cooperate so that the liquid crystal material preferentially adopts the C.sub.2 state at device operating temperatures further comprising means for heating the cell, means for allowing the cell to cool at a predetermined rate to a predetermined temperature, means for applying an ac voltage across the liquid crystal layer for a predetermined time, and means for cooling the cell to ambient temperature at a controlled rate.