ABSTRACT

The inside of the bottom piece of glass is also coated first with indium-tin oxide and then with a surfactant promoting alignment of the liquid crystal parallel to the glass surface but perpendicular to the direction of alignment on the top piece of glass. Another type of liquid crystal display uses a chiral smectic C liquid crystal instead of a nematic liquid crystal. Chiral smectic C liquid crystals are ferroelectric, spontaneously developing an electric polarisation parallel to the smectic layers. Some types of liquid crystal displays combine liquid crystal material and polymer material in a single device. Polymer dispersed liquid crystal displays are currently being used for switchable windows in homes, offices, and motor vehicles. Polymer liquid crystals can be processed into high-strength fibres. Liquid crystals can be used in chromatographic applications, where they create an anisotropic medium that promotes the separation of similar compounds.