Alignment of ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

A method of making a ferroelectric liquid crystal device comprising the steps of:

• providing a liquid crystal cell having a layer of a chiral smectic liquid crystal material contained between two cell walls bearing electrodes and surface treated to provide both an alignment direction and a surface pretilt to liquid crystal molecules;
• wherein providing a surface treatment giving a pretilt ξ and a ratio of azumuthal to zenithal anchoring energies β/α which gives a positive energy difference ΔWs between the liquid crystal director at the surface in the C1 and C2 states whereby the liquid crystal material preferentially adopts the C2 state at device operating temperatures;
• heating the liquid crystal material to a phase above a smectic phase and introducing the liquid crystal material between the cell walls;
• cooling the liquid crystal material to just below the phase transition to a chiral smectic phase;
• applying an ac voltage across the liquid crystal layer sufficient to cause formation of a C2 structure without causing formation of quasi bookshelf layer configuration;
• removing the voltage and cooling the liquid crystal material down to ambient temperature.