Abstract: An optical material including a colored optically anisotropic layer, the colored optically anisotropic layer having at least one maximum absorption wavelength with a nonpolarized light transmittance of 30 percent or lower in a wavelength range of 430 to 700 nm, wherein the absorbance Amax at the polarization of maximum absorbance and the absorbance Amin at the polarization of minimum absorbance of the colored optically anisotropic layer satisfy the following relation at the maximum absorption wavelength: 1.0?Amax/Amin?1.4, and the in-plane retardation of the colored optically anisotropic layer is greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than 1,000 nm, which can be employed as a material for forming a color filter having optical compensation capability.

Abstract: A transfer material comprising an optically anisotropic layer formed of a liquid crystalline composition comprising a monomer having an acidic group and/or a monomer which generates a monomer having an acidic group by an action of an acid or a base, and a photosensitive polymer layer, which is useful for forming an optically anisotropic layer in a liquid crystal cell, is provided. A process for easily producing a laminated structure having a patterned optically anisotropic layer, which comprises the following steps [1] and [2]: [1] subjecting the transfer material to patterned light exposure using photomask; and [2] removing the non-exposed parts of the transfer material by development with an aqueous alkaline solution, is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an optical device, comprising a plurality of polarizers that are arranged along a propagation direction of incident light; a first phase element that is disposed between the plurality of polarizers and that has a phase lag axis forming a prescribed angle relative to transmission axes of the polarizers arranged along the propagation direction; and a second phase element that is disposed between the first phase element and one of the polarizers arranged along the propagation direction, and that provides the incident light with a prescribed phase difference. An angle of the phase lag axis of the second phase element is adjusted such that the optical device transmits light in a prescribed wavelength region in the incident light.

Abstract: A polarizing plate comprises a light-scattering polarizing element and a light-absorbing polarizing element. The elements are so arranged that the polarizing transmission axis of the light-scattering polarizing element is essentially parallel to the polarizing transmission axis of the light-absorbing polarizing element. The light-scattering polarizing element has a polarizing layer comprising an optically isotropic continuous phase and an optically anisotropic discontinuous phase.

Abstract: There is provided an optical device including a plurality of polarizers that are arranged along a propagation direction of incident light, where the plurality of polarizers have transmission axes of substantially the same direction, a phaser that is provided between the plurality of polarizers, where the phaser has a retarded-phase axis forming a predetermined angle with the transmission axes of the plurality of polarizers, and a phase modulator that is provided adjacent to the phaser along the propagation direction, where the phase modulator has a retarded-phase axis of substantially the same direction as the retarded-phase axis of the phaser. Here, a phase difference generated in the incident light by the phase modulator is temporally adjusted such that the optical device transmits light in different wavelength ranges at different timings.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes a lens system including a plurality of regions on a pupil plane that each have different focal distances, a plurality of first polarizing elements that respectively transmit differently polarized light and respectively transmit light passing through the plurality of regions, a plurality of second polarizing elements that respectively transmit polarized light transmitted through the plurality of first polarizing elements, and a plurality of light receiving elements that respectively receive light transmitted through the plurality of second polarizing elements.

Abstract: A novel transfer material is disclosed. The transfer material comprises, at least, a support, and, thereon, an optically uniaxial or biaxial anisotropic layer and a photosensitive polymer layer. A novel process for producing a liquid crystal cell substrate is also disclosed. The process comprises, at least, [1] laminating a transfer material as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 11 on a substrate; [2] removing the support from the transfer material laminated on the substrate; and [3] exposing the photosensitive polymer layer disposed on the substrate to light.

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: The present invention provides a filter for optical recording medium capable of preventing diffuse reflection of an information beam and a reference beam from a reflective layer in the optical recording medium and preventing occurrence of noise without causing shift in selective reflection wavelength, and distortion in a reproduced image even when an angle of incidence is changed, and an optical recording medium capable of recording a high density image by using the filter. Specifically, the present invention relates to the optical recording medium containing a first substrate, a recording layer which records information by utilizing holography, an optical compensation layer, a filter layer, and a second substrate, in this order, and the filter layer is a cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A laminated structure comprising, at least one optically anisotropic layer formed of a liquid crystalline composition comprising a compound having two or more types of reactive groups, and at least one photosensitive polymer layer. The laminated structure is useful for forming an optically anisotropic layer inside of a liquid crystal cell. The laminated structure is also useful for forming a liquid crystal cell substrate with an optically anisotropic layer having an optically compensating ability, inside of a liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: A process of producing a substrate for liquid crystal display device comprising an optically anisotropic layer, which comprises forming the optically anisotropic layer by a process comprising the following [1] to [3]: [1] preparing a substrate having a raw optically anisotropic layer; [2] subjecting the raw optically anisotropic layer to patterned exposures of two or more types having different exposure conditions to each other; [3] subjecting the substrate obtained after the exposure to a heat treatment at 80° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower. By the process, a substrate for liquid crystal display device which contribute to reducing viewing angle dependence of color of a liquid crystal display device can be easily produced.

Abstract: A novel optical compensation sheet is disclosed. The sheet comprising a polymer layer formed by coating and drying a solution comprising a polymer compound and a solvent composition comprising 20% by weight or more of water; and an optically anisotropic layer formed on the surface of the polymer layer by hardening a liquid crystal layer comprising at least one liquid-crystalline compound under irradiation of ionizing radiation at a film surface temperature from 70 to 160° C.; wherein a frontal retardation (Re) value of the optically anisotropic layer is not zero, and the optically anisotropic layer gives substantially equal retardation values for light of a wavelength ? nm coming respectively in a direction rotated by +40° and in a direction rotated by ?40° with respect to a normal direction of a layer plane using an in-plane slow axis as a tilt axis (a rotation axis).

Abstract: A process of readily producing a patterned birefringent product excellent in resolution and heat-resistance is provided. Said process comprises at least the following steps [1] to [3] in order: [1] preparing a birefringence pattern builder which comprises an optically anisotropic layer comprising a polymer, and said optically anisotropic layer has a retardation disappearance temperature in the range higher than 20° C., at said retardation disappearance temperature in-plane retardation becomes 30% or lower of the retardation at 20° C. of the same optically anisotropic layer, and said retardation disappearance temperature rises by light exposure; [2] subjecting the birefringence pattern builder to patterned light exposure; [3] heating the laminated structure obtained after the step [2] at 50° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower.

Abstract: A production method of an optical film is provided including: a process of preparing a solution comprising polyvinyl alcohol or modified polyvinyl alcohol; a process of casting the solution by using a tapering die so as to prepare a film differing in thickness between the right side and the left side; and a process of stretching the film at a speed differing between the right side and the left side at an angle of 10 to 80 degrees with the machine direction.

Abstract: An optical film formed by a method comprising stretching a film comprising a polyvinyl alcohol or a modified polyvinyl alcohol at an oblique angle ranging from 10 to 80 degrees to the machine direction of the film.

Abstract: An optical film comprises a transparent support and a polarizing layer. The polarizing layer selectively transmits polarized light, and selectively reflects or scatters other polarized light. The polarizing layer contains a compound represented by the formula (I) of Ar1—C?C—Ar3—C?C—Ar2. In the formula (I), each of Ar1 and Ar2 independently is a monovalent aromatic group, and Ar3 is a divalent aromatic group.

Abstract: An anti-reflection film comprises a transparent support and a low refractive index coating layer. The low refractive index coating layer has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the support. The low refractive index coating layer has an essentially uniform thickness, while the layer has a surface roughness in terms of an arithmetic mean (Ra) in the range of 0.05 to 2 ?m.

Abstract: A polarizing plate comprises a light-scattering polarizing element and a light-absorbing polarizing element. The elements are so arranged that the polarizing transmission axis of the light-scattering polarizing element is essentially parallel to the polarizing transmission axis of the light-absorbing polarizing element. The light-scattering polarizing element has a polarizing layer comprising an optically isotropic continuous phase and an optically anisotropic discontinuous phase.

Abstract: A film having a high transmittance and matt property is disclosed which has, on a transparent support 1, a hard coat layer 2 incorporated therein particles 4 of a particle size of 1.0 to 10 ?m that is larger than the layer thickness thereof, and a low-refractive-index layer 3 having a refractive index of 1.45 or less and covering said hard coat layer, wherein a haze value is 1.0% or more, and a total transmittance of light is 93.5% or more. The film having a high transmittance can prevent occurrence of unevenness of display due to thermal expansion of a light-tuning film and occurrence of unevenness of brightness peculiar to the light-tuning film.

Abstract: A novel anisotropic spectral scattering film is disclosed. The scattered light intensity Fx(?, ?) at azimuthal angle ? and incident wavelength ? in an arbitrary scattering plane with respect to a surface of the film, and the scattered light intensity Fy(?,?) at azimuthal angle ? and incident wavelength ? in a scattering plane orthogonal to said scattering plane satisfy the following equations (1) and (2): Fx(?, ?)/Fx(545, ?)?1.2??(1) {Fx(?, ?)/Fx(545, ?)?Fy(?, ?)/Fy(545, ?)}?0.1??(2) provided that ? is 435 or 610 nm and ? is an arbitrary angle selected from 30–70°.