Patent ID: 7876385

Claim:
A liquid crystal device comprising: two confining substrates, a liquid crystal bulk layer arranged between said substrates, an electrode pattern applied on the inner surface of one of the substrates for generating an inhomogeneous electric field over a first sub-volume of the bulk layer adjacent to said electrode pattern, said electric field being inhomogenous with regard to direction of field lines and strength thereof and comprising electric field lines in directions substantially parallel to said inner surface of said first substrate, an optional alignment layer arranged to interact with the bulk layer at a bulk surface thereof and applied on said electrode pattern, said electric field being generated also over said optional alignment layer, and liquid crystals in a polarized state comprised in said first sub-volume and/or in said optional alignment layer, a polarization of said liquid crystals being stronger than any possible similar liquid crystal polarization of the bulk layer outside said first sub-volume, said alignment layer and/or a second sub-volume of the bulk layer adjacent the inner surface of the other substrate, or an optional second alignment layer or an optional second electrode pattern applied thereon, and capable of coupling with said electric field to perform switching of said liquid crystals for accomplishing via elastic forces a switching of the liquid crystals of the bulk layer, wherein the liquid crystals are in a polarized state in the presence and in the absence of an electric field.