How can a ferroelectric liquid crystal display reverse its molecular tilt using voltage?

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Diagram comparing three liquid crystal phases: nematic with parallel rods aligned vertically, smectic A with rods arranged in horizontal layers, and smectic C with rods in tilted layers. — liquid crystal display Liquid crystal arrangements
In nematic arrangements the crystals are randomly positioned with all their long axes pointing in essentially the same direction, given by a vector known as the director. In smectic arrangements the crystals are further constrained to parallel planes; in smectic A the director is perpendicular to these planes, while in smectic C the director is at some other angle to the planes.

In a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) display, the molecules possess a permanent charge separation known as a ferroelectric dipole. This dipole is oriented perpendicular to the molecular tilt direction within the layers.1

Because the sign of this dipole is directly coupled to the tilt direction of the molecules, applying an external voltage of the appropriate sign exerts a force on the dipole. This interaction allows the device to reverse the direction of the dipole—and consequently the tilt of the molecules—in tens of microseconds. This rapid switching of the molecular orientation alters the display's optical properties, enabling the transition between light and dark states when used with polarizers.1

Would you like to know more about how these fast switching speeds are utilized in color projection systems?