Encapsulated liquid crystal having a smectic phase

A liquid crystal apparatus, comprising:

• a liquid crystal material having a smectic A phase and a non-smectic phase, the liquid crystal material in the smectic A phase exhibiting either a distorted alignment state or a light-transmissive state;
• a containment means having discrete volumes for confining the liquid crystal material and said volumes having curved surfaces for inducing a generally distorted alignment of the liquid crystal material when the liquid crystal material is in the non-smectic phase and when no electric field is applied thereto, the distorted alignment at least one of scattering and absorbing light;
• means for selectively applying an electric field across the liquid crystal material so the liquid crystal material is selectively switchable between the distorted alignment state where light is at least one of scattered and absorbed and the light transmissive state, the light transmissive state remaining after removal of the electrical field when the liquid crystal material is in the smectic A phase;
• and
• means for applying heat to the liquid crystal material in the smectic A phase to put it in the non-smectic phase so the distorted alignment state can occur during a time in which no electric field is applied to the liquid crystal material.