Abstract: A light absorption anisotropic layer which has a high S/N ratio for generating polarized light with respect to rays in an infrared wavelength region, is lightweight, and has excellent handleability, a laminate, and a sensor system including the light absorption anisotropic layer or the laminate. The light absorption anisotropic layer contains a dichroic coloring agent having a maximal absorption at a wavelength of 700 to 1500 nm, in which an average absorbance at a wavelength of 850 nm is 0.24 to 0.50 and a thickness is 5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A laminate in which the occurrence of cracks is suppressed, and a laminate with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a polarizing plate, and an image display device which use the laminate. The laminate includes a first optically anisotropic layer; and a second optically anisotropic layer, the first optically anisotropic layer and the second optically anisotropic layer being laminated directly or through an alignment film, in which the first optically anisotropic layer satisfies Expression (A) nx>ny, the second optically anisotropic layer satisfies Expression (B) nx<nz, the laminate satisfies Expressions (1) 100 nm?Re(550)?180 nm, Expression (2) Re(450)/Re(550)<1.0, Expression (3) Re(650)/Re(550)>1.0, Expression (4) ?40 nm?Rth(550)?70 nm, and Expression (5) Rth(550)<Re(550)/2, and an endothermic peak temperature of the laminate observed by differential scanning calorimetry is 125° C. or lower.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: an optical element in which incident light can be transmitted or reflected at an angle in the predetermined direction and the wavelength dependence of the amount of transmitted light or reflected light is small; and an optical element including the optical element. The optical element according to the present invention comprises: an optically-anisotropic layer that is formed using a composition including a liquid crystal compound and an infrared absorbing colorant, in which the optically-anisotropic layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and an absorption of the infrared absorbing colorant in a wavelength range of 700 to 2000 nm in a minor axis direction is higher than an absorption of the infrared absorbing colorant in a wavelength range of 700 to 2000 nm in a major axis direction.

Abstract: To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

Abstract: To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

Abstract: Provided are an optical element that can make the brightness of light emitted from a light guide plate uniform, a light guide element, and an image display device. The optical element includes a patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, in which the patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and the patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer has regions having different pitches of helical structures in a plane.

Abstract: A laminated film includes a plurality of optically anisotropic layers, excellent in transparency, with few point defects, and exhibits little reflected light where the laminated film is applied to a display device brought into a black display state; and a circularly polarizing plate. The laminated film includes first, second, third, and fourth optically anisotropic layers, in order, in which the first, second, third, and fourth optically anisotropic layers are each formed by fixing an aligned liquid crystal compound, an adhesion layer selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer, and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is provided on only one of between the first and second optically anisotropic layers, between the second and third optically anisotropic layers, and between the third and fourth optically anisotropic layers, and the laminated film has a minimum transmittance of 60% or more in a wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminate used in an image display device the laminate including an optically anisotropic layer, a light-absorbing anisotropic layer, a refractive index-adjusting layer, and an oxygen shielding layer in this order, where the light-absorbing anisotropic layer is formed of a composition containing dichroic azo coloring agent and liquid crystalline compounds, where the dichroic azo coloring agent compound is 10% to 30% by mass with respect to a mass of a total solid content of the light-absorbing anisotropic layer, a degree of alignment of the light-absorbing anisotropic layer is 0.92 or higher, the refractive index-adjusting layer is formed of a composition containing a crosslinkable group compound, and has an in-plane average refractive index of 1.55 to 1.70 (550 nm ?), and an angle formed by an in-plane slow axis of the optically anisotropic layer and an absorption axis of the light-absorbing anisotropic layer is 45°±10°.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a laminate which has a polarizer and an optically anisotropic layer and has excellent thermal durability; and an organic electroluminescent device and a liquid crystal display device, which include the laminate. The laminate according to the embodiment of the present invention is a laminate having two substrates, and a polarizing plate disposed between the two substrates, in which the polarizing plate has an optically anisotropic layer and a polarizer, the optically anisotropic layer is formed of a composition containing a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (I), the polarizer contains a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, and a moisture permeability of the substrate is 10?3 g/m2·day or less.

Abstract: Provided are an optical element that can make the brightness of light emitted from a light guide plate uniform, a light guide element, and an image display device. The optical element includes a patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, in which the patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and the patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer has regions having different pitches of helical structures in a plane.

Abstract: To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

Abstract: To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

Abstract: Provided is an optical element with which a high diffraction efficiency can be obtained with a simple configuration. The optical element includes: an optically-anisotropic layer that is formed using a composition including a liquid crystal compound, in which the optically-anisotropic layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and the optically-anisotropic layer has a region in which an alignment direction of a liquid crystal compound in at least one of upper and lower interfaces has a pre-tilt angle with respect to the interface.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide is an optical laminate film exhibiting excellent uniformity in reflection tint and an organic EL display device using this optical laminate film and exhibiting excellent uniformity in reflection tint when turned off.

Abstract: To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

Abstract: Provided are an optically anisotropic film which has excellent moisture-heat resistance and can have a reduction in the thickness, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The optically anisotropic film is obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, in which the polymerizable liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1): L1-SP1-(E3-A1)m-E1-G1-D1-Ar1-D2-G2-E2-(A2-E4)n-SP2-L2 and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2): L1-SP1-(E3-A1)m-E1-G1-D1-Ar2-D2-G2-E2-(A2-E4)n-SP2-L2, and the optically anisotropic film satisfies Formula (3): Re(450)/Re(550)<1 or Formula (4): Rth(450)/Rth(550)<1, and has a degree of alignment as measured by Raman spectroscopy of 0.4 or more.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal composition capable of manufacturing an optically anisotropic film having excellent light fastness; and an optically anisotropic film, an optical film, a polarizing plate, an image display device, and an organic electroluminescent display device, each of which uses the polymerizable liquid crystal composition. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition of an embodiment of the present invention contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound having reverse-wavelength dispersion properties and an ultraviolet absorber represented by Formula (1), in which a maximum absorption wavelength A of the polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a maximum absorption wavelength B of the ultraviolet absorber satisfy Formula (2), and a content of the ultraviolet absorber is 1% to 20% by mass with respect to a content of the polymerizable liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal composition capable of manufacturing an optically anisotropic film having excellent light fastness; and an optically anisotropic film, an optical film, a polarizing plate, an image display device, and an organic electroluminescent display device, each of which uses the polymerizable liquid crystal composition. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition of an embodiment of the present invention contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound having reverse-wavelength dispersion properties and an aromatic polyether-based compound.

Abstract: Provided is an optical element in which transmission of incident light with an angle in a predetermined direction is allowed and the brightness of transmitted light is high. The optical element is formed using a composition including a liquid crystal compound and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound rotates in one direction; and the optically-anisotropic layer has regions in which the optical axis is twisted in a thickness direction of the optically-anisotropic layer and rotates, the regions having different magnitudes of twist angles of the rotation in a plane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a phase difference film in which reflection of external light is suppressed, tinting of reflected light is suppressed, and tinting at the time of white display is suppressed in a case where the phase difference film is applied to a display device; a circularly polarizing plate; and an organic electroluminescent display device. The phase difference film of an embodiment of the present invention has an in-plane retardation of 100 to 200 nm at a wavelength of 550 nm and satisfies Requirement 1: ?xy<0.010 and Requirement 6: 0.10<Slope S?1.0.