Dual mode switching of cholesteric liquid crystal device with three-terminal electrode structure.

We propose a cholesteric liquid crystal device with a three-terminal electrode structure that can be operated in both the dynamic and the bistable modes. Fast switching (less than 5 ms) between the planar and the in-plane-field-induced states can be realized by applying an in-plane electric field, and conventional bistable switching between the planar and focal conic states can be realized by applying a vertical electric field.