Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is formed with a pair of transparent substrates, each substrate having on one of its surfaces a coating of a transparent electrically conducting material which serves as an electrode. A nematic discotic material is sandwiched between the coated surfaces of the substrates thereby forming a cell. The nematic discotic material has a negative dielectric anisotropy and acts as the electrically switchable material for the electro-optic functioning of the liquid crystal display device. In addition, the cell resides between a pair of crossed polarizers.