Abstract: The present invention aims to provide: a novel silicon-containing polymer that is alkali soluble or is soluble in an alkaline aqueous solution by using heat, etc.; a film-forming composition including the silicon-containing polymer; a method for forming a silicon-containing polymer coating using the film-forming composition; a method for forming a silica coating using the film-forming composition; and a production method for the silicon-containing polymer. The silicon-containing polymer including at least either a polysiloxane chain or oligosiloxane chain or a polysilane chain or oligosilane chain in the molecular chain thereof has a group that has e.g., a carboxy or carboxylic acid ester group and a sulfide group, introduced to the molecular chain as a result of an ene-thiol reaction.

Abstract: A light ray direction control element includes a base, a plurality of light transmitting layers arranged on a main surface of the base, a light absorbing layer disposed among the plurality of light transmitting layers, and a tilt prevention layer provided on the main surface of the base and disposed on an outer periphery of a region in which the plurality of light transmitting layers is disposed.

Abstract: A light ray direction control element includes a first light transmitting substrate, a second light transmitting substrate facing the first light transmitting substrate, a first light transmitting region provided on a first main surface of the first light transmitting substrate, a second light transmitting region provided on a first main surface of the second light transmitting substrate, first light absorbing regions positioned among the first light transmitting region, and second light absorbing regions positioned among the second light transmitting region. The light ray direction control element further includes a light transmitting dispersion medium enclosed in the first light absorbing regions and the second light absorbing regions, and charged electrophoretic particles dispersed in the light transmitting dispersion medium.

Abstract: A light distribution control device includes: first upper electrodes and second upper electrodes disposed alternately in a first direction; first lower electrodes and second lower electrodes disposed alternately in a second direction that crosses the first direction; light transmissive regions disposed between an upper electrode set consisting of the first upper electrodes and the second upper electrodes and a lower electrode set consisting of the first lower electrodes and second lower electrodes; and colored electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium contained in a space between light transmissive regions. Each of the first upper electrodes extends along the space between light transmissive regions. Each of the second upper electrodes extends along a line of light transmissive regions. Each of the first lower electrodes extends along the space between light transmissive regions. Each of the second lower electrodes extends along a line of light transmissive regions.

Abstract: A light beam direction control element includes: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate facing the first transparent substrate; a first conductive film pattern having openings and being formed on a surface of the first transparent substrate opposing the second transparent substrate; a second conductive film pattern having openings and being formed on a surface of the second transparent substrate opposing the first transparent substrate; an electrophoretic element being sandwiched between the first and second conductive film patterns, and including light-shielding electrophoretic particles having a surface charge and a transparent dispersion medium; and light-transmissive regions being disposed between the first and second transparent substrates, being sandwiched between at least a portion of the openings of the first and second conductive film patterns, having a surface parallel to the first and second conductive film patterns, and having side walls surrounded by the electrophoretic ele

Abstract: A light ray direction control element includes a base, a plurality of light transmitting layers arranged on a main surface of the base, a light absorbing layer disposed among the plurality of light transmitting layers, and a tilt prevention layer provided on the main surface of the base and disposed on an outer periphery of a region in which the plurality of light transmitting layers is disposed.

Abstract: A light beam direction control element includes: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate which is disposed facing the first transparent substrate; light shielding elements which are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate; light transmission regions which are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and whose sidewalls are surrounded by any of the light shielding elements; a resin layer which is disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, surrounds an outer circumference of a light transmission region pattern formed by the light transmission regions, and includes a sealed first opening unit; and a first buffer region which is sandwiched between a surface including the first opening unit of the resin layer and the light transmission region pattern, and in which the light shielding elements are injected.

Abstract: Provided is a microlouver (optical element) having a transparent layer inclined to attain a desired viewing angle. The optical element includes patterned transparent layer and light absorbing layer on a transparent substrate. At least a part of the members of the transparent layer and the light absorbing layer are inclined with respect to the normal to the plane of the transparent substrate where patterns of the transparent layer and the light absorbing layer are provided. The inclination satisfies |??(x)??(x)|<?, where ??(x) represents a first angle which is an outgoing angle of light transmitted through the transparent layer from the transparent substrate at a point x on the plane, ?(x) represents a second angle which is an angle of sight of an observer, and ? represents a third angle which is a threshold angle to attain the lowest desired brightness.

Abstract: A light beam direction control device is provided with a transparent substrates in which main surfaces of the transparent substrate are opposed to each other, transparent conductive films respectively disposed on the main surface side of the transparent substrate, electrodes electrically connected to the transparent conductive films, a control circuit for controlling a potential difference between the transparent conductive films and a plurality of light beam transmitting regions arranged on the transparent substrates, light beam absorbing regions disposed between the adjacent light beam transmitting regions, and the transparent conductive films. When shifting the range of outgoing direction of light beam to a narrow state, the control circuit applies the electrodes electrically open and holds the open state.

Abstract: A control circuit is configured to: change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by controlling voltage across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to change a range of exit direction of light transmitted through the light transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; apply direct voltage at a first voltage value across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to change the range of exit direction from a narrow range to a wide range; measure luminance of light transmitted through the light beam direction control panel during application of the voltage at the first voltage value; and increase the voltage value to be applied across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode in a case where the measured luminance of the transmitted light is lower than a target value.

Abstract: A control circuit is configured to: change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by controlling voltage across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to change a range of exit direction of light transmitted through the light transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; apply direct voltage at a first voltage value across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to change the range of exit direction from a narrow range to a wide range; measure luminance of light transmitted through the light beam direction control panel during application of the voltage at the first voltage value; and increase the voltage value to be applied across the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode in a case where the measured luminance of the transmitted light is lower than a target value.

Abstract: A light distribution control device includes: first upper electrodes and second upper electrodes disposed alternately in a first direction; first lower electrodes and second lower electrodes disposed alternately in a second direction that crosses the first direction; light transmissive regions disposed between an upper electrode set consisting of the first upper electrodes and the second upper electrodes and a lower electrode set consisting of the first lower electrodes and second lower electrodes; and colored electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium contained in a space between light transmissive regions. Each of the first upper electrodes extends along the space between light transmissive regions. Each of the second upper electrodes extends along a line of light transmissive regions. Each of the first lower electrodes extends along the space between light transmissive regions. Each of the second lower electrodes extends along a line of light transmissive regions.

Abstract: A light beam direction control element includes: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate which is disposed facing the first transparent substrate; light shielding elements which are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate; light transmission regions which are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and whose sidewalls are surrounded by any of the light shielding elements; a resin layer which is disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, surrounds an outer circumference of a light transmission region pattern formed by the light transmission regions, and includes a sealed first opening unit; and a first buffer region which is sandwiched between a surface including the first opening unit of the resin layer and the light transmission region pattern, and in which the light shielding elements are injected.

Abstract: A light beam direction control device is provided with a transparent substrates in which main surfaces of the transparent substrate are opposed to each other, transparent conductive films respectively disposed on the main surface side of the transparent substrate, electrodes electrically connected to the transparent conductive films, a control circuit for controlling a potential difference between the transparent conductive films and a plurality of light beam transmitting regions arranged on the transparent substrates, light beam absorbing regions disposed between the adjacent light beam transmitting regions, and the transparent conductive films. When shifting the range of outgoing direction of light beam to a narrow state, the control circuit applies the electrodes electrically open and holds the open state.

Abstract: Provided is a microlouver (optical element) having a transparent layer inclined to attain a desired viewing angle. The optical element includes patterned transparent layer and light absorbing layer on a transparent substrate. At least a part of the members of the transparent layer and the light absorbing layer are inclined with respect to the normal to the plane of the transparent substrate where patterns of the transparent layer and the light absorbing layer are provided. The inclination satisfies |??(x)??(x)|<?, where ??(x) represents a first angle which is an outgoing angle of light transmitted through the transparent layer from the transparent substrate at a point x on the plane, ?(x) represents a second angle which is an angle of sight of an observer, and ? represents a third angle which is a threshold angle to attain the lowest desired brightness.

Abstract: A light beam direction control element includes: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate facing the first transparent substrate; a first conductive film pattern having openings and being formed on a surface of the first transparent substrate opposing the second transparent substrate; a second conductive film pattern having openings and being formed on a surface of the second transparent substrate opposing the first transparent substrate; an electrophoretic element being sandwiched between the first and second conductive film patterns, and including light-shielding electrophoretic particles having a surface charge and a transparent dispersion medium; and light-transmissive regions being disposed between the first and second transparent substrates, being sandwiched between at least a portion of the openings of the first and second conductive film patterns, having a surface parallel to the first and second conductive film patterns, and having side walls surrounded by the electrophoretic ele

Abstract: There is such an issue with the well-known optical element that it is difficult to achieve a high transmittance since the transmittance is determined according to the pattern size of the light transmission regions, so that the luminance of the display device to which such optical element is mounted is deteriorated. Provided is an optical element which employs a structure in which the shape of a conductive pattern where electrophoretic particles cohere in a wide viewing field mode is formed in a comb-like shape and plural stages and plural rows of light transmission regions are disposed in the spaces between the comb teeth. This makes it possible to exclude the electrophoretic particles from the regions other than the comb-like electrode for allowing the light to transmit that part.

Abstract: A light-modulating element comprises: first and second transparent substrates arranged in opposition to one another; a first transparent electrode arranged on the opposition surface of the first transparent substrate; a plurality of light transmissive regions arranged between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent substrate so as to be separated from one another; a plurality of second transparent electrodes arranged at respective positions on the second transparent substrate opposing the respective light transmissive regions, and that are arranged so as to be separated by a given distance from the respective light transmissive regions; a plurality of third transparent electrodes arranged individually between the second transparent electrodes at a predetermined distance therefrom on the second transparent substrate side; and an electrophoretic member arranged within a gap formed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and that includes light-shielding e

Abstract: To provide an optical element capable of stably securing an intermediate mode between two operations modes. The optical element of the present invention includes: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate; a plurality of first conductive patterns and second conductive patterns disposed in parallel to each other on a face of the first transparent substrate opposing to the second transparent substrate; light transmission regions disposed between the first conductive patterns and the second conductive patterns; a transparent conductive film disposed on a face of the second transparent substrate opposing to the first transparent substrate; and an electrophoretic element disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions, which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material.

Abstract: An optical device including first and second transparent substrates disposed so that the principal surfaces thereof face each other; conductive light shielding patterns disposed on the principal surface side of the first transparent substrate; a transparent conductive film disposed on the principal surface of the second transparent substrate; a plurality of light transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate; and an electrophoretic element disposed in gaps between each adjacent light transmissive regions is configured such that the dispersion state of electrophoretic particles 61 is changed by externally applied electric fields, thereby changing the range of outgoing directions of transmitted light. Thus, it is possible to relieve a decrease in the amount of charging of an electrophoretic element caused by the ingress of incident light and to ensure operation stability.