Abstract: An optical film is provided and includes: a transparent support satisfying the following expressions (1) and (2); and an optically anisotropic layer having a ?/4 function. The optical film has an Rth (550) satisfying a relation of |Rth (550)|?20. |Re (550)|?10 ??(1) |?Rth (25° C. 30% RH?25° C80% RH)|?20 ??(2) Re (550) represents an in-plane retardation Re at a wavelength of 550 nm, and Rth (550) represents a retardation Rth in a film thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm; and ?Rth (25° C. 30% RH?25° C. 80% RH) represents a difference between Rth (550) at 25° C. and 30% RH and Rth (550) at 25° C.

Abstract: A despeckling device and method in which an optical path difference staircase element is disposed between a fly's eye lens array and the image plane in a position near the focus position of the fly's eye lens array, and a laser generating unit generates and transmits pulsed laser beams to the optical path difference staircase element, wherein the pulsed laser beams are driven at a very short pulsed rate.

Abstract: To provide a photocurable composition with which a fine pattern molded product on which a fine pattern of a mold is highly precisely transferred can efficiently be produced. A photocurable composition comprising 100 parts by mass of a photocurable monomer (A), from 5 to 60 parts by mass of a colloidal silica (B) (solid content) having an average particle size of at most 200 nm, and from 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of a photopolymerization initiator (C), wherein the photocurable monomer (A) comprises a multifunctional monomer (A1) having at least 3(meth)acryloyloxy groups in one molecule and a bifunctional monomer (A2) having two (meth)acryloyloxy groups in one molecule, at least one compound belonging to the multifunctional monomer (A1) or the bifunctional monomer (A2) has a hydroxy group, and the ratio of the total amount (mol) of hydroxy groups to the total amount (mol) of the multifunctional monomer (A1) and the bifunctional monomer (A2) is at least 10%.

Abstract: A projection type display device includes: a light emitting unit that includes at least one light source for emitting a coherent light. An image light generating unit modulates the light emitted by the light emitting unit to generate an image light. A projecting unit projects the image light. A phase modulating unit is arranged either between the light emitting unit and the image light generating unit or between the image light generating unit and the projecting unit and has an area where at least one of a retardation value and an azimuth direction of a slow axis is distributed respectively in different directions or values in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis.

Abstract: There is provided an optical device including a plurality of first phasors having substantially the same phase delaying axis as each other; and a plurality of second phasors having substantially the same phase delaying axis as each other in a direction different from that of the first phasors and providing a phase difference substantially the same as that provided by the first phasors, in which the plurality of first phasors and the plurality of second phasors are arranged on substantially the same face, a density of the first phasors is substantially the same as a density of the second phasors, and a spatial distribution of the density of the first phasors and a spatial distribution of the density of the second phasors are substantially uniform.

Abstract: A phase difference element capable of decreasing deterioration of 3D characteristics and a display unit including the phase difference element are provided. The phase difference element includes a phase difference film, and an anti-glare film. The phase difference film has a phase difference layer composed of two or more phase difference regions each having different direction of a slow axis that are regularly arranged in a plane. Retardation of the anti-glare film is 20 nm or less and total haze of the anti-glare film is 30% or less.

Abstract: A beam transforming element for forming a predetermined light intensity distribution on a predetermined surface on the basis of an incident beam includes a first basic element made of an optical material with optical activity, for forming a first region distribution of the predetermined light intensity distribution on the basis of the incident beam; and a second basic element made of an optical material with optical activity, for forming a second region distribution of the predetermined light intensity distribution on the basis of the incident beam, wherein the first basic element and the second basic element have their respective thicknesses different from each other along a direction of transmission of light.

Abstract: In a projection display device, a polarization converting element is provided between an imager and a refracting optical system for converting a polarization direction of light after modulation into a direction radially extending from the center of the optical axis of the refracting optical system. Light transmitted through the polarization converting element is incident onto the refracting optical system in a state of P-polarized light or a state close to the state of P-polarized light. Thereby, the transmittance of light through the refracting optical system is made substantially uniform and increased.

Abstract: A beam transforming element for forming a predetermined light intensity distribution on a predetermined surface on the basis of an incident beam includes a first basic element made of an optical material with optical activity, for forming a first region distribution of the predetermined light intensity distribution on the basis of the incident beam; and a second basic element made of an optical material with optical activity, for forming a second region distribution of the predetermined light intensity distribution on the basis of the incident beam, wherein the first basic element and the second basic element have their respective thicknesses different from each other along a direction of transmission of light.

Abstract: An Si—O containing hydrogenated carbon film as an optical film has a refractive index in a range from at least 1.48 to at most 1.85 for light of 520 nm wavelength and an extinction coefficient of less than 0.15 for light of 248 nm wavelength, wherein the refractive index and the extinction coefficient are decreased with energy beam irradiation. By utilizing such an Si—O containing hydrogenated carbon film, it is possible to provide various types of optical elements and an optical device including the same.

Abstract: An optical device (10) comprising two layers (12, 18), with each layer having a plurality of adjacent and substantially coplanar polarizing layer portions (14, 16), with any two adjacent ones of these polarizing layer portions having orthogonal polarization directions. These two layers are movable relative to one another such that each of the polarizing layer portions from one layer can substantially overlap at least two of the polarizing layer portions from the other layer, with one of these other polarizing layer portions having a substantially identical polarization direction (FIG. 2a) and the other having an orthogonal polarization direction (FIG. 26). In this way, radiation wavelengths passing through the two layers can be selectively blocked and transmitted therethrough by moving the two layers relative to one another.

Abstract: There is provided an infrared light source that has a simple structure and radiates infrared rays polarized in a specific direction and having a specific wavelength. The infrared light source (100) comprises a heat generator (107) and a latticework (101) in which a dielectric part (105) and a metal part (103) are alternately formed at a constant pitch in a constant direction. The infrared rays are radiated in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the latticework and are polarized in the direction indicated by an arrow A. If the constant pitch is denoted by P, the width of the dielectric part in the constant direction by T, and the specific wavelength by ?, for arbitrary P and T that meet the inequalities 0<P?2.0? and T?0.5P, the depth D of the latticework is so selected that the intensity spectrum of the infrared rays radiated from the infrared light source has the peak at ?.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device having a wide view angle, reduced power consumption and high quality with an absorption axis of a polarizing plate and an optical axis of a retardation plate made to coincide with high accuracy without using expensive equipment and complicated steps. On a transparent substrate 11 is formed a retardation film 21 that is self-organized due to irregularities on a surface of a metal wire 12 formed on a wire grid polarizer to thereby generate a retardation.

Abstract: A monolithic polarizing diffractive structure includes a system having at least two parallel continuous planar surfaces, a diffractive pattern on one of the at least two parallel continuous surfaces, the diffractive pattern including at least two diffractive elements integral with the one of the at least two continuous surfaces, the at least two diffractive elements defining a monolithic diffractive pattern, and a polarizing pattern on one of the at least two parallel continuous surfaces. The polarizing pattern includes at least two polarizing elements, each polarizing element corresponding to a respective diffractive element, the at least two polarizing elements outputting polarizations rotated with respect to one another, the at least two polarizing elements defining a monolithic polarizing pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a polarizer utilizes a support, which is coated with a photoresist. A carbon nanotube film is located over the photoresist, and one portion of the carbon nanotube film is submerged in the photoresist. Metal or semi-metallic particles are deposited over the carbon nanotube film and the photoresist, which is removed. The carbon nanotube film with the metal particles or semi-metallic particles is adhered to a substrate to obtain the polarizer.