Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to the stabilization of the orthoconic state in orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal devices. According to some of the example embodiments, the stabilization may be obtained by tuning a device cell as well as material parameters. The orthoconic state may be stabilized by means of the cell surfaces, electric fields, and/or polymer-stabilization, and combinations thereof, under selected conditions. The example embodiments presented herein advances several new working modes as well as new types of applications of orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals.