A polymer-dispersed liquid crystal system has a continuous polymer structure having defined therein a plurality of discrete bodies of liquid crystal material. The bodies of liquid crystal material exhibit a polydomain operating state in which the liquid crystal material within each body is arranged in multiple domains, each domain being defined by a quantity of liquid crystal material whose molecules have a substantially common identifiable alignment in at least one axis, wherein the resolved alignments of neighboring domains diverge substantially from one another and are stable over time.