The present invention relates to a mechanical shutter(601) that comprises a shutter element having a layer of polymerized liquid crystal. The polymerized liquid crystal is anisotropically oriented. At one major surface the orientation is anisotropic. In moving towards the opposite major surface the orientation varies, the variation being such that the thermal expansion coefficient varies in moving from the major surface to the opposite surface. When exposed to non-mechanical means such as heat, the shutter element moves. When for example a splayed or a twisted nematic orientation is used, the element bends and straightens in response to the non-mechanical means. Electrodes(604, 605, 606) can optionally be formed on the element and on a supporting substrate, rendering the element controllable by an electric field applied between the electrodes due to resulting electrostatic forces. The invention furthermore provides a method of manufacturing such mechanical shutters using in-situ polymerization. |