Liquid crystal devices

摘要

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD), which comprises a cell including a layer of chiral smetic ferroelectric liquid crystal material contained between two substrates and at least one alignment layer for determining the surface alignment of the molecules in the liquid crystal material, is manufactured as follows. After selection of a suitable material for the alignment layer, the cell is filled by introducing liquid crystal material between the substrates to which the alignment layer is applied. After filling of the cell, a heat treatment is applied to the cell by raising the cell to an elevated temperature and maintaining the cell at that temperature for a predetermined period of time. The temperature and the period of time of this heat treatment are selected to cause the surface alignment properties of the alignment layer to be changed by the heat treatment in such a manner as to promote adoption of the C2 state by the liquid crystal material on subsequent cooling to the device operating temperature.