High-contrast electro-optic device contain non-surface stabilized FLC cells which retain a helical diameter (~) structure and exhibit a change in optical anisotropy as a function of the magnitude of an applied electric field or driving voltage. The FLC cells incorporate chiral ferroelectric liquid crystals which exhibit a ferroelectric phase and a chiral nematic (N*) phase at temperatures above the ferroelectric phase and comprise uniformly spaced electrode-containing plates between which the FLC is aligned. The cell is provided with means for detecting the change in optical anisotropy in the FLC induced by the application of the electric field.