A device having a scattering which can be varied by liquid crystals includes a first electrode, an electroactive layer and a second electrode. It includes, between the first electrode and the electroactive layer, a first transparent polymeric barrier layer with a thickness of T1 and optionally, between the second electrode and the electroactive layer, a second transparent polymeric barrier layer with a thickness of T2, T1 being nonzero and at least 1 μm, and T1+T2 being at most 40 μm. The first polymeric barrier layer carries the first electrode or the first electrode is on a first dielectric substrate. The second optional polymeric barrier layer carries the second electrode or the second electrode is on a second dielectric substrate.