Abstract: A polarizing plate having an excellent optical property and a method of manufacturing the same. The polarizing plate includes: a transparent substrate transmitting light in a used bandwidth; an absorbing layer having at least a metal-containing semiconductor layer containing a metal, the absorbing layer being arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of the light in the used bandwidth; a dielectric layer arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth; and a reflective layer arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, wherein the absorbing layer, the dielectric layer and the reflective layer are layered on the transparent substrate in this or reversed order.

Abstract: There is provided a method to manufacture a diffuser plate with better productivity and exhibiting an excellent diffusion property and having excellent durability with respect to light having large coherence, the microlens array diffuser plate including: a microlens group positioned on a surface of a transparent substrate. The diffuser plate includes two or more unit cells that are continuously set in array, the unit cell includes a plurality of microlenses positioned on the surface of the transparent substrate, and ridge lines between the microlenses adjacent to each other are nonparallel to each other, and are nonparallel to the transparent substrate.

Abstract: Provided is an inorganic polarizing plate having a wire grid structure including: a transparent substrate; and grid-shaped protrusions arranged on the transparent substrate at a pitch shorter than a wavelength of light in a use band, in which the grid-shaped-protrusion includes, in order from the transparent substrate side, a reflection layer and a reflection suppressing layer which includes a dielectric material and a non-dielectric material and of which a content of the non-dielectric material increases as a separation from the reflection layer increases. In addition, provided are a method of manufacturing the inorganic polarizing plate and an optical instrument including the inorganic polarizing plate.

Abstract: This invention provides a polarization conversion element that is highly resistant to the heat and light that result from increased brightness levels. In said polarization conversion element, inorganic half-wave plates provided selectively on the output surface of a polarizing beam-splitter array have obliquely deposited layers comprising a dielectric material and the side surfaces of said obliquely deposited layers are covered by protective films.

Abstract: An object is to provide a phase difference compensation element capable of improving the contrast of a liquid crystal display device while solving the problems of a high cost, an increase in the lead time, an increase in the mounting space, and the durability. A phase difference compensation element includes: a phase difference imparting and reflection preventing layer; a first birefringence layer and a second birefringence layer in which an angle of a corner formed by a main axis of refractive index anisotropy and a surface of a transparent substrate is not 90 degrees; a third birefringence layer in which an angle of a corner formed by a main axis of refractive index anisotropy and the surface of the transparent substrate is 0 degrees, wherein, when segments acquired when the main axes of the first, second, and third birefringence layers are projected onto the transparent substrate are respectively denoted by a segment A, a segment B, and a segment C, relations of the following (1) and (2) are satisfied.

Abstract: A wave plate capable of increasing a birefringence quantity and being made into a thin film, and a method of manufacturing the wave plate. The wave plate includes a substrate, whereon convex portions and concave portions are formed with a period less than or equal to the wavelength of light that is used therewith, columnar portions, wherein fine grains of a dielectric material are layered by oblique vapor deposition of a dielectric material from two directions, in a columnar shape on the convex portions in the vertical direction relative to the surface of the substrate, and interstices that are located on the concave portions and disposed between the columnar portions. Using birefringence from the fine grains of the dielectric material and birefringence from the concave/convex portions of the substrate allows increasing the birefringence quantity and making a thin film.

Abstract: This invention provides a polarization conversion element that is highly resistant to the heat and light that result from increased brightness levels. In said polarization conversion element, which is provided with a polarizing beam-splitter array in which polarizing beam splitters having polarization separation layers and reflecting prisms having reflective layers are bonded together in alternation, said polarizing beam splitters and reflecting prisms are bonded together by first adhesive layers each comprising a silicone adhesive.

Abstract: Provided are a block copolymer pattern formation method that enables formation, over a large area, of a block copolymer pattern with a perpendicularly oriented lamellar structure enabling nanoscale surface shape control, and a diffraction limited optical element produced using the block copolymer pattern formation method. The block copolymer pattern formation method is a method for forming a block copolymer pattern on a substrate and includes forming an oblique angle vapor deposited film on the substrate, applying a block copolymer onto the oblique angle vapor deposited film that has been formed, and subjecting the block copolymer that has been applied to perpendicularly oriented lamellar structure development post-treatment to form a pattern with a perpendicularly oriented lamellar structure.

Abstract: A polarizing plate having an excellent optical property and a method of manufacturing the same. The polarizing plate includes: a transparent substrate transmitting light in a used bandwidth; an absorbing layer having at least a metal-containing semiconductor layer containing a metal, the absorbing layer being arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of the light in the used bandwidth; a dielectric layer arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth; and a reflective layer arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, wherein the absorbing layer, the dielectric layer and the reflective layer are layered on the transparent substrate in this or reversed order.

Abstract: Provided are a heat-absorbing material having high heat resistance and high wavelength selectivity, and a process for producing the same. The heat-absorbing material includes: a heat-resistant metal having the substantially same periodic structure in the light incidence plane as the wavelength of sunlight having a specific wavelength in the wavelength regions of visible light and near-infrared rays; and a cermet formed on the light incidence plane of the heat-resistant metal. Thus, there can be achieved desirable absorption and radiation characteristics being such that absorption is performed in the visible light region meanwhile reflection is performed in the infrared region. Furthermore, the cermet does not need complicated film-formation control, and therefore, the high heat resistance can be maintained.

Abstract: An immersion-type surface treatment tank includes a treatment tank body including: a single tank internal space elongated in a plan view, and a nozzle that ejects an electrodeposition paint into the tank internal space. The treatment tank body includes: a first tank inner side surface extending along a longitudinal direction of the tank internal space; a second tank inner side surface facing the first tank inner side surface and extending along the longitudinal direction; and a rectifying plate that is formed halfway in the longitudinal direction and changes a flow direction of the electrodeposition paint such that the electrodeposition paint flowing horizontally along the first tank inner side surface is directed toward the second tank inner side surface. The rectifying plate changes the flow direction of the electrodeposition paint, thereby forming, in the tank internal space, at least two horizontal swirl flows adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A polarizing plate having an excellent optical property and a method of manufacturing the same. The polarizing plate includes: a transparent substrate 11 transmitting light in a used bandwidth; an absorbing layer 12 having at least a metal-containing semiconductor layer containing a metal, the absorbing layer being arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of the light in the used bandwidth; a dielectric layer 13 arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth; and a reflective layer 14 arranged as a one-dimensional lattice shaped wire-grid structure having a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, wherein the absorbing layer 12, the dielectric layer 13 and the reflective layer 14 are layered on the transparent substrate 11 in this or reversed order.

Abstract: A small reactor, which contains an inorganic transparent substrate, which contains: a reaction channel configured to allow a chemical reaction to proceed therein; a supply channel, which is connected to one end of the reaction channel, and is configured to supply samples to be reacted in the reaction channel; and a discharge channel, which is connected to the other end of the reaction channel, and is configured to discharge a reaction product from the reaction channel, wherein the inorganic transparent substrate is in the shape of an arc-shaped curve.

Abstract: To provide an inorganic polarizing plate which, when used in structures having different used wavelength bands, can reduce reflectance by using a common structure, making it possible to achieve a predetermined light extinction ratio. The inorganic polarizing plate has a substrate that is transparent to light in a used bandwidth, a reflective layer that is composed of grids that are formed on one surface of the substrate with a pitch that is smaller than a wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, a dielectric layer that is stacked on the reflective layer, and an absorbing layer containing FeSi fine particles.

Abstract: The present application provides a retardation element, having a first birefringent layer; and a second birefringent layer which has approximately the same average thickness as that of the first birefringent layer and contacts the first birefringent layer such that an angle formed between a first line segment representing the principal axis of refractive index anisotropy of the first birefringent layer and a second line segment representing the principal axis of refractive index anisotropy of the second birefringent layer is neither 0° nor 180° when the first line segment and the second line segment are projected on the transparent substrate such that an end A of the first line segment at a side of the transparent substrate and an end B of the second line segment at a side of the transparent substrate coincide with each other.

Abstract: Provided is a depolarizing plate having a superior degree of depolarization to conventional depolarizing plates. The depolarizing plate includes a light-transmitting substrate having a surface layer portion in which a fine pattern is provided that includes a plurality of curved lines randomly disposed at a pitch of no greater than a wavelength of light, and that exhibits structural birefringence.

Abstract: This invention provides a polarization conversion element that is highly resistant to the heat and light that result from increased brightness levels. In said polarization conversion element, which is provided with a polarizing beam-splitter array in which polarizing beam splitters having polarization separation layers and reflecting prisms having reflective layers are bonded together in alternation, said polarizing beam splitters and reflecting prisms are bonded together by first adhesive layers each comprising a silicone adhesive.

Abstract: To provide an inorganic polarizing plate which, when used in structures having different used wavelength bands, can reduce reflectance by using a common structure, making it possible to achieve a predetermined light extinction ratio. The inorganic polarizing plate has a substrate that is transparent to light in a used bandwidth, a reflective layer that is composed of grids that are formed on one surface of the substrate with a pitch that is smaller than a wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, a dielectric layer that is stacked on the reflective layer, and an absorbing layer containing FeSi fine particles.

Abstract: An immersion-type surface treatment tank includes a treatment tank body including: a single tank internal space elongated in a plan view, and a nozzle that ejects an electrodeposition paint into the tank internal space. The treatment tank body includes: a first tank inner side surface extending along a longitudinal direction of the tank internal space; a second tank inner side surface facing the first tank inner side surface and extending along the longitudinal direction; and a rectifying plate that is formed halfway in the longitudinal direction and changes a flow direction of the electrodeposition paint such that the electrodeposition paint flowing horizontally along the first tank inner side surface is directed toward the second tank inner side surface. The rectifying plate changes the flow direction of the electrodeposition paint, thereby forming, in the tank internal space, at least two horizontal swirl flows adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A polarizing plate having a desired extinction ratio in a visible light region and light resistance against intense light, and a liquid crystal projector using the above polarizing plate are provided. A polarizing element includes a substrate transparent to visible light, and inorganic particle layers in each of which inorganic particles are linearly disposed, the inorganic particle layers being disposed on the substrate at predetermined intervals to form a wire grid structure, the inorganic particles each have an elliptical shape having a major axis of the inorganic particles in the disposed direction and minor axis in a direction perpendicular thereto.