Molecules of this type of material are usually rod-shaped.   
The surface-stabilized ferroelectric type is widely used in applications today because of its microsecond response times, and the cholesteric type is still used for devices which allow slower optical response.  Molecules of this type of material are usually rod-shaped.   In the nematic phase, the molecules are aligned but have no translational order, while the smectic phase includes some level of translational order.  Having a level of order between that of a random fluid and an ordered solid, FTP, name this class of materials widely used in computer and calculator displays, and often abbreviated LC.
The surface-stabilized ferroelectric type is widely used in applications today because of its microsecond response times, and the cholesteric type is still used for devices which allow slower optical response.  
liquid crystal