Thermo-optique smectic liquid-crystal storage display

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What we claim is: 1.
A method utilizing a thermo-optical effect for storing images in the form of light scattering points in a thin layer of a material exhibiting a smectic mesophase in a first temperature range and comprising the steps of: (a) enclosing said layers between walls for imposing to said layer a first uniform orientation; (b) temporarily applying to said layer a first electric field for substituting for said first uniform orientation a second uniform orientation perpendicular thereto; (c) maintaining said layer to a first value in said first temperature range; (d) temporarily raising the temperature of at least parts of said layer from said first value to a second value in said first temperature range.
2.
A method as recited in claim 1 in which during the step (b), said layer is in said smectic mesophase.
3.
A method as recited in claim 1, in which, said material further exhibiting a nematic mesophase in a second temperature range, the temperature of said layer is lowered from the second to the first temperature range during the step (b).
4.
A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the steps of temporarily raising the temperature of portions of said layer from said first value to a value substantially equal to said second value, while simultaneously applying a second electric field to said layer.
5.
A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of temporarily raising the temperature of portions of said layer from said first temperature range to said second temperature ranges while simultaneously applying a third electric field to said layer.
6.
A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said material comprises at least one compound of the family of diphenylnitriles.
7.
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said first and second uniform orientations is perpendicular to said walls.
8.
A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second electric fields are perpendicular to said walls.
9.
A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said first and third electric fields are perpendicular to said walls