Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate is an apparatus for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the apparatus including: a formation unit that processes a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; a growth unit that processes a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas; and a transfer unit that transfers the base material at least from the formation unit to the growth unit.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal compound, a polymerization initiator, and a chiral agent, and a surfactant, orientation adjuster or the like as necessary are dissolved in a solvent to obtain a embrocation, the embrocation is laminated on an isotropic transparent film in a film state and dried, and the dried film is polymerized to give an optical element in which a lower limit ?L of a band reflecting light at an incident angle of 0 degrees is longer than a wavelength ?R1 of light indicating the maximum emission intensity in a wavelength band of 600 nm to 700 nm in the light emitted by a light source, and an average transmittance of the light with the wavelength 600 nm to 700 nm at the incident angle of 60 degrees is 40% or more and 90% or less.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises at least an optically anisotropic member and a liquid crystal cell disposed between a pair of polarizers having absorption axes disposed approximately perpendicularly to each other, wherein nz>nx>ny (nx: a refractive index (n) in the direction of the in-plane slow axis; ny: n in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the above direction; nz: n in the direction of thickness, each at 550 nm); the optically anisotropic member comprises a layer comprising a material having a negative value of intrinsic birefringence; and the in-plane slow axis of the optically anisotropic member is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the absorption axis of a polarizer closer to the member. The antireflection property, scratch resistance and durability are excellent, the angle of field is wide, and uniform display of images with great contrast can be achieved at any angle of observation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises at least optically anisotropic members (A) and (B) and liquid crystal cell disposed between a pair of polarizers having absorption axes disposed approximately perpendicularly to each other, wherein nzA>nyA and nxB>nzB (nxA, nxB:refractive indices (n) in the direction of the in-plane slow axis; nyA, nyB:n in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the above direction; nzA, nzB:n in the direction of thickness, each at 550 nm); the in-plane slow axes of (A) and (B) are approximately parallel or perpendicular to each other; and the in-plane slow axis of (A) is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the absorption axis of a polarizer closer to (A). The antireflection property, scratch resistance and durability are excellent, the angle of field is wide, and uniform display of images with great contrast can be achieved at any angle of observation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises at least optically anisotropic members (A) and (B) and a liquid crystal cell disposed between a pair of polarizers having absorption axes disposed approximately perpendicularly to each other, wherein nzA>nyA and nxB>nzB (nxA, nxB: refractive indices (n) in the direction of the in-plane slow axis; nyA, nyB: n in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the above direction; nzA, nzB: n in the direction of thickness, each at 550 nm); the in-plane slow axes of (A) and (B) are approximately parallel or perpendicular to each other; and the in-plane slow axis of (A) is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the absorption axis of a polarizer closer to (A). The antireflection property, scratch resistance and durability are excellent, the angle of field is wide, and uniform display of images with great contrast can be achieved at any angle of observation.

Abstract: An optical laminate film comprising a layer (A) comprising a material having a negative intrinsic birefringence value as a primary component; and a layer (B) comprising a transparent resin as a primary component which is laminated to at least one side of the layer (A). The optical laminate film satisfies the following conditions: (a) nz>(nx+ny)/2 (b) 0? dispersion of retardation Re?+10 nm, wherein retardation Re is represented by the formula [|nx?ny|×D] where D represents thickness (?m) of the laminated film, nz represents a refractive index in the thickness direction, and nx and ny each represent a refractive index, respectively in two directions orthogonal to each other and both of which are perpendicular to the thickness direction, all of the refractive indices being measured using light with wavelength of 550 nm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises at least optically anisotropic members (A) and (B) and a liquid crystal cell disposed between a pair of polarizers having absorption axes disposed approximately perpendicularly to each other, wherein nzA>nyA and nzB>nyB (nxA, nxB: refractive indices (n) in the direction of the in-plane slow axis; nyA, nyB: n in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the above direction; nzA, nzB: n in the direction of thickness, each at 550 nm); the in-plane slow axes of (A) and (B) are approximately parallel or perpendicular to each other; and the in-plane slow axis of (A) is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the absorption axis of a polarizer closer to (A). The antireflection property, scratch resistance and durability are excellent, the angle of field is wide, and uniform display of images with great contrast can be achieved at any angle of observation.

Abstract: There is provided an optical film comprising: a multilayer base material film comprising an a-layer composed of a resin material (a) having a flexural modulus of 3 GPa to 4 GPa and a b-layer composed of a resin material (b) having a flexural modulus lower than the flexural modulus of the resin material (a), at least one of outer surfaces of the base material film being roughened by an emboss process or a blast process; and a functional layer, such as a hard coat layer and an anti-reflective layer, laminated on the roughened surface of the base material film. The optical film is used as a protective film for a liquid crystal display element, such as a polarizing plate.

Abstract: A method for producing a retardation film comprising the steps of: co-extruding or simultaneously casting a thermoplastic resin A and a thermoplastic resin B to obtain a laminated film comprising a layer of the thermoplastic resin A and a layer of the thermoplastic resin B; and uniaxially stretching the laminated film at least twice to cross a molecular orientation axis in the layer of the thermoplastic resin A and a molecular orientation axis in the layer of the thermoplastic resin B each other at almost right angles.

Abstract: A lengthy grid polarizer film comprising a lengthy resin film and a plurality of grid lines provided on the surface and/or inside of the resin film and extending substantially in parallel with each other are provided, the grid lines being made of a material G being 1.0 or more in the absolute value of the difference between the real part n1 and the imaginary part ?1 of the complex refractive index (N1=n1?i?1), said resin film having a plurality of rows of grooves formed extending substantially in parallel with each other on its surface, and said grid line being made of a thin film of the laminated material G on the bottom face of the grooves and/or on the top face of ridges located between the adjacent grooves. A lengthy optical laminated body comprises the lengthy grid polarizer film and another lengthy polarizing optical film.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises at least an optically anisotropic member and a liquid crystal cell disposed between a pair of polarizers having absorption axes disposed approximately perpendicularly to each other, wherein nz>nx>ny (nx: a refractive index (n) in the direction of the in-plane slow axis; ny: n in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the above direction; nz: n in the direction of thickness, each at 550 nm); the optically anisotropic member comprises a layer comprising a material having a negative value of intrinsic birefringence; and the in-plane slow axis of the optically anisotropic member is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the absorption axis of a polarizer closer to the member. The antireflection property, scratch resistance and durability are excellent, the angle of field is wide, and uniform display of images with great contrast can be achieved at any angle of observation.

Abstract: A protective film for polarizing plate comprising k layers (k is an integer of 2 or more) of thermoplastic resin layer laminated, wherein a refractive index ni(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i th thermoplastic resin layer as well as a refractive index ni+1(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni+1(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i+1 th thermoplastic resin layer have a relationship in ?ni(380)?ni+1(380)|?|ni(780)?ni+1(780)??0.02 (where, i is an integer of 1 to k?1). A polarizing plate is obtained by bonding the protective film for the polarizing plate and a polarizer. And a liquid crystal display comprising the polarizing plate and a liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A vertical alignment (VA) mode liquid crystal display unit having at least one biaxial optical anisotropic substance sheet and a liquid crystal cell between a light emission side polarizing polarizer and a light incident side polarizer, wherein (1) nx>ny>nz is satisfied (nx and ny: in-plane principal refractive indexes of the entire biaxial optical anisotropy, and nz: a principal refractive index in the thickness direction), (2) the low refractive index layer comprises an aerogel with a refractive index of up to 1.7, and (3) a multilayered body consisting of the total biaxial optical anisotropic substance sheet and the liquid crystal cell satisfies the formula: |R40?R0|?35 nm where R0: a retardation as measured without imposition of voltage when light with wavelength of 550 nm impinges vertically, and R40: a retardation as measured without imposition of voltage when light with wavelength of 550 nm impinges at an inclination angle of 40 degrees from the normal to the direction of the principal axis.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode comprises a pair of polarizing plates which are constituted with a polarizing plate at the output side comprising a polarizer at the output side and a polarizing plate at the incident side comprising a polarizer at the incident side having a transmission axis approximately perpendicular to a transmission axis of the polarizer at the output side and two or more sheets of optically anisotropic members and liquid crystal cells disposed between the pair of polarizing plates. In the optically anisotropic member, the sum of the major in-plane refractive indices is twice the sum of the major refractive index in the direction of thickness or smaller. The ratio of retardation of light incident at an angle inclined by 40 degrees with respect to the normal toward the major axis (R40) to the retardation of light incident perpendicularly (R0) is 0.90˜1.10. The device comprises a low refractive index layer which has a refractive index of 1.

Abstract: Provided are: a long optical laminate prepared by laminating two obliquely stretched long phase-difference films so that the respective delayed-phase axes cross each other at a specified angle, while at least one of the two phase-difference films is a film containing residual volatile component by 1000 ppm or less; a long optical element prepared by laminating the optical laminate on one surface of polarization film; a long broad-band ¼ wavelength plate; an optical member prepared by laminating a circularly polarized light separating layer of cholesteric liquid crystal on one surface of the broad-band ¼ wavelength plate; a broad-band circular element using the broad-band ¼ wavelength plate; and an optical product having the broad-band circular polarization element.

Abstract: An optical multilayer film for a liquid crystal display comprising a hard coat layer and a low refractive index layer comprising aerogel, which layers are laminated, in this order, directly or with another intervening layer on one surface of a substrate film comprising a transparent resin, wherein the refractive index nH of the hard coat layer and the refractive index nL of the low refractive index layer satisfy the following three formulae [1], [2] and [3], nL?1.37??Formula [1] nH?1.53??Formula [2] (nH)1/2?0.2<nL<(nH)1/2+0.2.

Abstract: A polarizing plate protective film including a base film and a low-refractive-index layer formed on the base film, the low-refractive-index layer including a metal oxide complex and inorganic microparticles and having a refractive index of 1.25 to 1.37, the metal oxide complex being formed from a compound shown by the following formula (1): MXn (wherein M represents a metal atom or a semimetal atom, X represents an alkoxy group or the like, and n represents the valence of M) or a partial hydrolysate or a complete hydrolysate of the compound shown by the formula (1), and having an —(O-M)m-O— bond (wherein M is the same as defined above, and m represents a positive integer) in the molecule; a reflection preventive polarizing plate using the polarizing plate protective film, and an optical product including the reflection preventive polarizing plate.

Abstract: An optical multilayer film comprising a hard coat layer and a low refractive index layer comprising aerogel, which layers are laminated, in this order, directly or with another intervening layer on one surface of a base film comprising a transparent resin, wherein the refractive index nH of the hard coat layer and the refractive index nL of the low refractive index layer satisfy the following three formulae [1], [2] and [3], 1.25?nL?1.37 Formula [1] nH?1.53 Formula [2] (nH)1/2?0.2<nL<(nH)1/2+0.2. Formula [3.

Abstract: A light diffusion plate obtained by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin and having an approximately rectangular shape having a length of a diagonal line of 400 mm or longer, wherein the fluctuation in the thickness is 200 ?m or smaller, the warp is 2 mm or smaller, the fluctuation in the transmittance is 8% or smaller and the dispersion in the y-value of the reflected light is 0.004 or smaller, and a process for producing the light diffusion plate are provided. The light diffusion plate exhibits the high luminance and the small unevenness in the luminance and provides a display of images having an excellent quality on liquid display devices.

Abstract: An optical laminate which comprises layer A comprising a resin having a negative intrinsic birefringence and at least one layer B comprising a transparent resin, having substantially no orientation and laminated at least on one face of layer A and satisfies a relation |Re(A)|>|Re(B)|, wherein Re(A) and Re(B) represent in-plane retardations of layer A and layer B, respectively, measured with light having a wavelength of 400 to 700 nm, an optical element comprising a laminate of the optical laminate and a polarizer plate, and a liquid crystal display device using at least one sheet of the optical laminate. In the liquid crystal display device, optical compensation can be made in accordance with the mode of the liquid crystal display by the three dimensional control of the refractive index, and the liquid crystal display device provides a image display with liquid crystals exhibiting small change in the phase contrast depending on the viewing angle.