Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light irradiating means for irradiating light to a subject having images to be read; an image forming means for making the light from the subject incident on an image plane so as to form images as erected images; and a photoelectric conversion means for converting the incident light of the erected images into image signals, wherein the image forming means is constituted of a plurality of lens arrays that have a mutually identical shape and property and are sequentially disposed, sharing common light axes, between the subject and the photoelectric conversion means, and the respective lens arrays are formed by integral molding of a plurality of lenses, and an aperture provided with light passing holes with the light axes as the center is interposed at least between the plurality of lens arrays, and areas other than the light passing holes in the aperture form light shielding areas.

Abstract: In order to miniaturize a projector as a whole to such a degree that the projector can be included in a small device such as a portable telephone terminal or the like, a red laser light beam (1R) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21R) for red, a green laser light beam (1G) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21G) for green, and a blue laser light beam (1B) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21B) for blue, so as to be each spread over an entire display area of a liquid crystal display panel (40) and be incident on corresponding pixels of a liquid crystal layer (48). The diffused and shaped laser light beams (2R, 2G, and 2B) are made incident on the liquid crystal display panel (40) via a field lens (31). In the liquid crystal display panel (40), red, green, and blue pixels are formed, and a microlens array is formed in an incidence side substrate (41).

Abstract: Laser light beams are diffused and shaped by diffractive optical devices such that they are introduced to corresponding pixels of a liquid crystal layer over an entire area of a display region of a reflective liquid crystal panel. The diffused and shaped laser light beams are introduced to the reflective liquid crystal panel through a field lens and a polarizing beam splitter. Red, green and blue pixels are formed on the reflective liquid crystal panel, and a microlens array is formed on an incoming and outgoing side substrate while reflecting layers corresponding to the pixels are formed on a reflection side substrate. The laser light fluxes of the colors are distributed and condensed by the microlenses and introduced to the corresponding pixels and then reflected by the corresponding reflecting layers. Refractive optical devices may be used in place of the diffractive optical devices.

Abstract: A projection apparatus and image display apparatus. The apparatus includes a three-color light source that emits a plurality of color lights having different wavelengths, and a diffraction type optical element that performs diffusion forming of individual color lights. A field lens makes the diffusion-formed individual color lights into parallel lights, and a liquid crystal panel has a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses arranged in a matrix at the incident regions of the individual parallel color lights. A pixel section has three pixel openings arranged oppositely to the individual microlenses.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: alight irradiating means for irradiating light to a subject having images to be read; an image forming means for making the light from the subject incident on an image plane so as to form images as erected images; and a photoelectric conversion means for converting the incident light of the erected images into image signals, wherein the image forming means is constituted of a plurality of lens arrays that have a mutually identical shape and property and are sequentially disposed, sharing common light axes, between the subject and the photoelectric conversion means, and the respective lens arrays are formed by integral molding of a plurality of lenses, and an aperture provided with light passing holes with the light axes as the center is interposed at least between the plurality of lens arrays, and areas other than the light passing holes in the aperture form light shielding areas.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a microlens substrate which is excellent in chemical resistance and light fastness to intense light irradiation, and is capable of forming a microlens substrate of a high accuracy of form. The method includes the steps of: forming a lens-shaped curve at a surface side of a transparent substrate; forming an inorganic material film on the transparent substrate so as to bury the curve therewith; and planarizing the surface of the inorganic material film to provide a microlens where the curve is buried with the inorganic material film.

Abstract: A matrix-addressed type liquid crystal display apparatus having switching devices such as TFTs is provided, featuring that an increased effective voltage can be applied without causing hysteresis in V-T characteristics. Namely, by substantially increasing a value of an applicable voltage in excess of which a display defect starts to appear, a high numerical aperture and a high contrast ratio have been achieved at the same time. In the LCD apparatus of the present invention, a gap between adjacent reverse tilt domains each formed in a portion of a pixel which is arranged corresponding to an arbitrary pixel electrode becomes broader than a minimum gap between adjacent pixel electrodes corresponding thereto, or a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion between adjacent reverse tilt domains is set thinner than a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion of the pixel.

Abstract: There is provided a high-reliability projection apparatus, causing no noise during switching of the optical paths of individual color lights.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to miniaturize a reflective liquid crystal projector to such a degree that it can be built in a small-sized apparatus such as a portable telephone terminal. Laser light beams (1R), (1G), (1B) are diffused and shaped by diffractive optical devices (21R), (21G), (21B) such that they are introduced to corresponding pixels of a liquid crystal layer (41) over an overall area of a display region of a reflective liquid crystal panel (40). The diffused and shaped laser light beams (2R), 2(G), 2(B) are introduced to the reflective liquid crystal panel (40) through a field lens (31) and a polarizing beam splitter (33). Red, green and blue pixels are formed on the reflective liquid crystal panel (40), and a microlens array is formed on an incoming and outgoing side substrate (50) while reflecting layers corresponding to the pixels are formed on a reflection side substrate (60).

Abstract: In order to miniaturize a projector as a whole to such a degree that the projector can be included in a small device such as a portable telephone terminal or the like, a red laser light beam (1R) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21R) for red, a green laser light beam (1G) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21G) for green, and a blue laser light beam (1B) is diffused and shaped by a diffractive optical element (21B) for blue, so as to be each spread over an entire display area of a liquid crystal display panel (40) and be incident on corresponding pixels of a liquid crystal layer (48). The diffused and shaped laser light beams (2R, 2G, and 2B) are made incident on the liquid crystal display panel (40) via a field lens (31). In the liquid crystal display panel (40), red, green, and blue pixels are formed, and a microlens array is formed in an incidence side substrate (41).

Abstract: A matrix-addressed type liquid crystal display apparatus having switching devices such as TFTs is provided, featuring that an increased effective voltage can be applied without causing hysteresis in V-T characteristics. Namely, by substantially increasing a value of an applicable voltage in excess of which a display defect starts to appear, a high numerical aperture and a high contrast ratio have been achieved at the same time. In the LCD apparatus of the present invention, a gap between adjacent reverse tilt domains each formed in a portion of a pixel which is arranged corresponding to an arbitrary pixel electrode becomes broader than a minimum gap between adjacent pixel electrodes corresponding thereto, or a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion between adjacent reverse tilt domains is set thinner than a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion of the pixel.

Abstract: A matrix-addressed type liquid crystal display apparatus having switching devices such as TFTs is provided, featuring that an increased effective voltage can be applied without causing hysteresis in V-T characteristics. Namely, by substantially increasing a value of an applicable voltage in excess of which a display defect starts to appear, a high numerical aperture and a high contrast ratio have been achieved at the same time. In the LCD apparatus of the present invention, a gap between adjacent reverse tilt domains each formed in a portion of a pixel which is arranged corresponding to an arbitrary pixel electrode becomes broader than a minimum gap between adjacent pixel electrodes corresponding thereto, or a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion between adjacent reverse tilt domains is set thinner than a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion of the pixel.

Abstract: The present invention is a liquid crystal projector device using a liquid crystal panel. The device mounts a liquid crystal panel (16) on a light incident plane of a polyhedral dichroic prism (23) in a bonded state so as to integrate the panel with the prism, and comprises a heat sink (29) and a heat pipe (31) which forcedly cools the integrated structure statically. The liquid crystal projector device comprising the structure describe above cools the liquid crystal panel efficiently without bringing any trouble caused by fan noise or raise of dust.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a microlens substrate which is excellent in chemical resistance and light fastness to intense light irradiation, and is capable of forming a microlens substrate of a high accuracy of form. The method includes the steps of: forming a lens-shaped curve at a surface side of a transparent substrate; forming an inorganic material film on the transparent substrate so as to bury the curve therewith; and planarizing the surface of the inorganic material film to provide a microlens where the curve is buried with the inorganic material film.

Abstract: A method of producing a microlens array includes a patterning step of forming a first optical resin layer having a first refractive index on a transparent substrate and forming a plurality of microlens planes arrayed in a two-dimensional pattern on the front surface of the first optical resin layer; a planarizing step of forming a planarized second optical resin layer; a joining step of providing a support layer on which a transparent protective film is previously formed; and a removing step of removing the support layer in such a manner that only the protective film remains on the second optical resin layer. The planarizing step is performed by filling irregularities of the microlens planes with a resin having a second refractive index and planarizing the front surface, opposed to the microlens planes, of the resin, to form the planarized second optical resin layer, and the joining step is performed by joining the support layer to the planarized second optical resin layer.

Abstract: A matrix-addressed type liquid crystal display apparatus having switching devices such as TFTs is provided, featuring that an increased effective voltage can be applied without causing hysteresis in V-T characteristics. Namely, by substantially increasing a value of an applicable voltage in excess of which a display defect starts to appear, a high numerical aperture and a high contrast ratio have been achieved at the same time. In the LCD apparatus of the present invention, a gap between adjacent reverse tilt domains each formed in a portion of a pixel which is arranged corresponding to an arbitrary pixel electrode becomes broader than a minimum gap between adjacent pixel electrodes corresponding thereto, or a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion between adjacent reverse tilt domains is set thinner than a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion of the pixel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a microlens substrate which is excellent in chemical resistance and light fastness to intense light irradiation, and is capable of forming a microlens substrate of a high accuracy of form. The method includes the steps of: forming a lens-shaped curve at a surface side of a transparent substrate; forming an inorganic material film on the transparent substrate so as to bury the curve therewith; and planarizing the surface of the inorganic material film to provide a microlens where the curve is buried with the inorganic material film.

Abstract: In an image display apparatus according to this invention, higher luminance of a displayed image can be realized by a microlens array provided in a liquid crystal display device. The influence of a pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal panel is optically compensated by the optical compensation layer. Higher contrast of the displayed image and a longer life of the apparatus are thus realized. Since a highly light-resistant inorganic material is used for the optical compensation layer, higher luminance of the displayed image can be realized by higher output of a light source of the image display apparatus. Specifically, if sapphire or crystal, which is highly thermally conductive, is used as the inorganic material, rise in the temperature of the liquid crystal display device can be restrained.

Abstract: A reaction gas made of a hydrogen-based carrier gas and a silane gas or the like is brought in contact with a heated catalyzer of tungsten or the like, and a DC voltage not higher than a glow discharge starting voltage or a voltage produced by superimposing an AV voltage or an RF voltage on the DC voltage is applied on the produced reactive species, so as to provide kinetic energy and carry out vapor growth of a predetermined film on a substrate, thereby providing a film of high quality.

Abstract: A method of producing a microlens array includes a patterning step of forming a first optical resin layer having a first refractive index on a transparent substrate and forming a plurality of microlens planes arrayed in a two-dimensional pattern on the front surface of the first optical resin layer; a planarizing step of forming a planarized second optical resin layer; a joining step of providing a support layer on which a transparent protective film is previously formed; and a removing step of removing the support layer in such a manner that only the protective film remains on the second optical resin layer. The planarizing step is performed by filling irregularities of the microlens planes with a resin having a second refractive index and planarizing the front surface, opposed to the microlens planes, of the resin, to form the planarized second optical resin layer, and the joining step is performed by joining the support layer to the planarized second optical resin layer.