Abstract: There is provided a transparent polycrystalline spinel substrate characterized in having a transmittance of 0.005% or less in a crossed Nicol system at a thickness of 1 mm and a wavelength of 450 nm, which does not generate image blurring or light-dark change when used in optical products. There is also provided a method for producing the transparent polycrystalline spinel substrate comprising a step for preparing a spinel powder, a step for molding the spinel powder and producing a spinel formed body, a step for sintering the spinel formed body and producing a spinel sintered body, and a step for subjecting the spinel sintered body to hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and producing a spinel polycrystalline body. There is further provided a liquid crystal projector and a receiver for rear-projection television having the aforementioned transparent polycrystalline spinel substrate.

Abstract: A spinel sintered body has a composition of MgO·nAl2O3 (1.05?n?1.30) containing 20 ppm or less of Si element. A production method thereof includes the steps of: forming a compacted body from a spinel powder containing 50 ppm or less of Si element and having a purity of not less than 99.5 mass %; a first sintering step of forming a sintered body having a density of not less than 95% by sintering the compacted body at 1500° C. to 1700° C. in a vacuum; and a second sintering step of subjecting the sintered body to pressurized sintering at 1600° C. to 1800° C.