Abstract: Provided is a method by which a retardation film suppressed in biaxiality, having a small Nz coefficient, and having a slow axis in an oblique direction can be produced with high production efficiency. The production method for a retardation film of the present invention includes: holding left and right end portions of a film with left and right variable pitch-type clips configured to have clip pitches changing in a longitudinal direction, respectively; preheating the film; reducing, under a state in which the clip pitch of the clips on one side out of the left and right clips is kept constant, the clip pitch of the clips on another side to obliquely stretch the film; and releasing the film from being held with the clips.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method capable of producing a retardation film having an elongated shape, having high uniaxiality and a high in-plane alignment property, and having a slow axis in an oblique direction with high production efficiency.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises: a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal cell between a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate; and a surface light source device having a light source unit and a light guide plate. In a polarized light output from the light guide plate, when the normal direction of a light output surface is defined to be at a polar angle of 90°, and the light guiding direction of the light guide plate is defined to be a direction of an azimuth angle of 0°-180°, a ratio La/Lt of integrated intensity La of output light in ranges where the polar angle is 50° to 80° and the azimuth angle is 135° to 225°, 0° to 45°, and 315° to 360° to integrated intensity Lt of total output light is 0.3 or more.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal cell between first second polarizing plates; and a surface light source device. The surface light source device includes a light source unit, a light guide plate for outputting first directivity light having directivity of maximum intensity in a first direction, which forms a predetermined angle from a normal direction of the light output surface in a plane approximately parallel to a light guiding direction of light, and having a high ratio of a polarized light component oscillating in the plane and a prism sheet being configured to convert the first directivity light into second directivity light directed in a second direction within a predetermined angle from the normal direction of the light output surface of the light guide plate while substantially maintaining a polarization state of the first directivity light.

Abstract: There is provided a circularly polarizing plate capable of realizing a bendable display apparatus in which an excellent reflection hue is obtained and a color change due to bending is suppressed. A circularly polarizing plate according to the present invention is used in a bendable display apparatus. The circularly polarizing plate includes: a polarizer; and a retardation film arranged on one side of the polarizer. In-plane retardations of the retardation film satisfy a relationship of Re(450)<Re(550)<Re(650), and a slow axis direction of the retardation film is adjusted so as to form an angle of from 20° to 70° with respect to a bending direction of the display apparatus.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises: a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal cell between a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate; and a surface light source device having a light source unit and a light guide plate. In a polarized light output from the light guide plate, when the normal direction of a light output surface is defined to be at a polar angle of 90°, and the light guiding direction of the light guide plate is defined to be a direction of an azimuth angle of 0°-180°, a ratio La/Lt of integrated intensity La of output light in ranges where the polar angle is 50° to 80° and the azimuth angle is 135° to 225°, 0° to 45°, and 315° to 360° to integrated intensity Lt of total output light is 0.3 or more.

Abstract: Provided is a polarizing plate that has an excellent viewing angle characteristic and suppresses changes in display characteristics. A polarizing plate of the present invention is used in an organic EL panel, and includes a polarizer (10), a first retardation layer (30), and a second retardation layer (40). The first retardation layer (30) shows a refractive index characteristic of nx>ny?nz, satisfies a relationship of Re(450)<Re(550), and has a water absorption rate of 3% or less. The second retardation layer (40) shows a refractive index characteristic of nz>nx?ny. A laminate of the first retardation layer (30) and the second retardation layer (40) has an Re(550) of from 120 nm to 160 nm and an Rth(550) of from 40 nm to 100 nm.

Abstract: Provided is an optical member that can realize a liquid crystal display apparatus that is excellent in mechanical strength and provides sufficient brightness. The optical member includes: a polarizing plate; a low refractive index layer having a selected refractive index; and a prism sheet.

Abstract: Provided is an optical member that can realize a liquid crystal display apparatus that is excellent in mechanical strength and suppressed in color shift. The optical member includes: a polarizing plate; a reflective polarizer; a low refractive index layer having a selected refractive index; and a prism sheet.

Abstract: There is provided a display apparatus that can suppress the occurrence of a crack in a circularly polarizing plate in its manufacturing process without reducing designability and mass productivity. A display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a display element; and a circularly polarizing plate placed on a viewer side of the display element. The circularly polarizing plate includes a polarizer and a retardation film. In-plane retardations of the retardation film satisfy a relationship represented by the below-indicated expression (1); and an angle ?1 formed between a slow axis of the retardation film and a direction in which a wiring crimping portion provided along at least one side of a peripheral edge portion of the display element extends satisfies a relationship represented by the below-indicated expression (2): Re(450)<Re(550)??(1) ?1?70°??(2) where Re(450) and Re(550) represent in-plane retardations measured at 23° C.

Abstract: There is provided an optical member that can realize a liquid crystal display apparatus that is excellent in mechanical strength and has high illuminance. An optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a polarizing plate, a reflective polarizer, and a prism sheet in the stated order. The optical member has a reflectance of 70% or more for linearly polarized light having a wavelength of 650 nm entering the reflective polarizer at 45°.

Abstract: There is provided an optical member that suppresses the occurrence of moire and glare, and can realize a liquid crystal display apparatus that is excellent in mechanical strength and has high brightness. An optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a polarizing plate; a light-diffusing pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a reflective polarizer; and a prism sheet. A volume-average particle diameter of light-diffusible fine particles in the light-diffusing pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is from 1 ?m to 4 ?m; and a refractive index of a pressure-sensitive adhesive in the light-diffusing pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 1.47 or more.

Abstract: Provided is a polarizing plate that has an excellent viewing angle characteristic and suppresses changes in display characteristics. A polarizing plate of the present invention is used in an organic EL panel, and includes a polarizer (10), a first retardation layer (30), and a second retardation layer (40). The first retardation layer (30) shows a refractive index characteristic of nx>ny?nz, satisfies a relationship of Re(450)<Re(550), and has a water absorption rate of 3% or less. The second retardation layer (40) shows a refractive index characteristic of nz>nx?ny. A laminate of the first retardation layer (30) and the second retardation layer (40) has an Re(550) of from 120 nm to 160 nm and an Rth(550) of from 40 nm to 100 nm.

Abstract: There is provided a circularly polarizing plate that can prevent light leakage in an organic EL panel and can suppress the warping of the panel to reduce reflection unevenness in a panel surface. A circularly polarizing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in an organic EL panel, and includes a polarizer and a retardation film directly bonded to the polarizer. In-plane retardations of the retardation film satisfy a relationship of Re(450)<Re(550); and a 90° adhesive strength between the polarizer and the retardation film is 1.0 N/20 mm or more.

Abstract: There is provided a polarizing plate that achieves an excellent reflection hue. A polarizing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in an organic EL panel, and includes a polarizer and a retardation film. In-plane retardations of the retardation film satisfy a relationship of Re(450)<Re(550); and an angle ? formed between an absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the retardation film satisfies a relationship of 38°???44° or of 46°???52°.

Abstract: The present invention provides a long retardation film having sufficient reversed wavelength dispersion characteristics and favorable for film lamination according to a roll-to-roll system. A long retardation film of the present invention includes a polycarbonate resin or a polyester carbonate resin, an orientation angle ? which is an angle between a slow axis and a width direction satisfies the following formula (I), and a ratio of an in-plane retardation R450 measured at a wavelength of 450 nm to an in-plane retardation R550 measured at a wavelength of 550 nm satisfies the following formula (II): 38°???52°??(I) R450/R550<1??(II).

Abstract: There is provided an optical member that suppresses the occurrence of moire, and can realize a liquid crystal display apparatus that is excellent in mechanical strength and has high brightness. An optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a polarizing plate, a light diffusion layer, a reflective polarizer, and a prism sheet in the stated order.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical film. The method includes an unwinding step, a cleaning step and an application step. In the unwinding step, a long-band shaped flexible base having a first principal surface and a second principal surface is unwound from a continuous roll, and the base is continuously fed to a downstream side. In the cleaning step, a cleaning liquid is supplied between the second principal surface of the base and a cleaning roll, and the cleaning liquid is applied and spread over the base by the cleaning roll to clean the second principal surface of the base. Thereafter, in the application step, a resin solution is applied onto the first principal surface of the base and then the resin solution is dried.

Abstract: Provided is a producing method for a retardation film with a reverse wavelength dispersion property, which is highly reliable in terms of a small wavelength dispersion change and is low in display unevenness due to a position dependence of a retardation variation. The production method is designed for a retardation film which satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2): 0.7<Re1[450]/Re1[550]<0.97 - - - (1); and 1.5×10?3<?n<6.0×10?3 - - - (2) (where: Re1[450] and Re1[550] represent, respectively, in-plane retardation values thereof as measured by using light of a wavelengths of 450 nm and light of a wavelength of 550 nm, at 23° C.; and ?n represents an in-plane birefringence thereof as measured by using light of a wavelength of 550 nm).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal cell between first second polarizing plates; and a surface light source device. The surface light source device includes a light source unit, a light guide plate for outputting first directivity light having directivity of maximum intensity in a first direction, which forms a predetermined angle from a normal direction of the light output surface in a plane approximately parallel to a light guiding direction of light, and having a high ratio of a polarized light component oscillating in the plane and a prism sheet being configured to convert the first directivity light into second directivity light directed in a second direction within a predetermined angle from the normal direction of the light output surface of the light guide plate while substantially maintaining a polarization state of the first directivity light.