Abstract: An optical functional film exhibiting optical biaxiality which has a high degree of freedom in optical characteristics design. The optical functional film which exhibits optical biaxiality and includes: a substrate; and an optical functional layer formed on the substrate and having a rodlike compound. The rodlike compound forms irregular-random homogeneous alignment in the optical functional layer.

Abstract: A retardation film that is used as a polarizing plate protective film, thereby making it possible to yield a polarizing plate which is very good in durability and has a viewing angle compensation function. The retardation film has: an optical anisotropic film, in which a relation of nx>ny is realized between a refractive index “nx” in a slow axis direction of an in-plane direction and a refractive index “ny” in a fast axis direction of the in-plane direction; and a retardation layer formed on the optical anisotropic film and containing a liquid crystalline material, in which a relation of nx?ny<nz is realized between refractive indexes “nx” and “ny” in arbitrary directions “x” and “y” of an in-plane direction which are perpendicular to each other and a refractive index “nz” in a thickness direction. The optical anisotropic film uses a transparent substrate having a cellulose derivative.

Abstract: In order to realize an inspection with higher accuracy of an excrescence adhering to a front or rear surface of an inspection subject, the present invention provides an inspection apparatus including, a stage allowing an inspection subject to be mounted thereonto, an illumination unit for emitting diffused light to the inspection subject, an imaging unit disposed to face the illumination unit with the inspection subject interposed therebetween, for taking the diffused light that is emitted from the illumination unit and is transmitted through the inspection subject, a first refracting member disposed between the inspection subject and the illumination unit, and the first refracting member having a first convex surface to face the illumination unit, a second refracting member disposed between the illumination unit and the first refracting member, and the second refracting member having a second convex surface to face the first convex surface, and a processing unit inspecting the inspection subject based on a r

Abstract: A retardation film having excellent optical characteristic realizing properties, which is capable of obtaining a highly durable polarizing plate having a viewing angle compensating function by being used as a polarizing plate protection film. The retardation film can be used as a viewing angle compensating film of a liquid crystal display of the IPS system, with a wide realizable range of optical characteristics, excellent adhesion properties to a polarizer, and the adjustment easiness of the optical characteristics. The retardation film has an optically anisotropic film, an optically anisotropic layer, and a first optically anisotropic material showing a positive dispersion type wavelength dependency of a retardation, in which a refractive index nx1 of a lagging phase axis direction in an in-plane direction and a refractive index ny1 of a leading phase axis direction in the in-plane direction satisfy the formula of nx1>ny1.

Abstract: The main object of the invention is to provide a polarized light irradiation apparatus capable of providing a uniform alignment ability for an alignment film without using a highly parallelized light, and capable of conducting a photo-alignment in a larger area efficiently, and having an excellent durability.

Abstract: Route nets having at least one current path through which a current flows are extracted from among a plurality of route nets each representing a line that interconnects elements of an electronic circuit in electrical connecting relationship from information on an electronic schematic. The extracted route nets is separated into a first subnet of lines where currents flow and a second subnet of lines where no currents flow. A route is determined for each of the first and second subnets. Points on the routes for the first and second subnets are interconnected by another route.

Abstract: Route nets having at least one current path through which a current flows are extracted from among a plurality of route nets each representing a line that interconnects elements of an electronic circuit in electrical connecting relationship from information on an electronic schematic. The extracted route nets is separated into a first subnet of lines where currents flow and a second subnet of lines where no currents flow. A route is determined for each of the first and second subnets. Points on the routes for the first and second subnets are interconnected by another route.

Abstract: In order to improve filter loss of a waveguide filter having coaxial/waveguide mode conversion parts at its ends, conductor posts bridging a space between two long sides of the waveguide are provided between the parts and the ends. The conductor posts have sufficient thickness and remain close enough to each other and to short ends of the waveguide that a partition plane including axes of the conductor posts can be regarded as an imaginary short plane. The conductor posts are located so that the partition plane is positioned at a distance .lambda./4.times.n (n=1, 3, 5 . . . ) from the coaxial/waveguide mode conversion part.