Abstract: The production method for a broadband cholesteric liquid crystal film having a reflection bandwidth of 300 nm or more includes the steps of: applying a liquid crystal composition containing a polymerizable mesogenic compound (a), a polymerizable chiral agent (b), and a thermal polymerization initiator (c) onto an alignment base material ; and providing a broadband characteristic to the liquid crystal composition through thermal polymerization, and has the following feature (i) or (ii). (i) The thermal polymerization initiator (c) is contained in the liquid crystal composition at a ratio of 0.2 to 4 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of a total of the polymerizable mesogenic compound (a) and the polymerizable chiral agent (b). (ii) The thermal polymerization is carried out at a heating temperature of 70 to 150° C. under an inert gas atmosphere containing oxygen at an oxygen concentration of 5 vol % or less.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display that can suppress an irregularity in temperature in planes of a liquid crystal cell and polarizers, which is caused by heat radiated from a backlight and can suppress depolarization caused by the temperature irregularity, in which, as compared with a conventional liquid crystal display, appearance defects are reduced. The liquid crystal display of the present invention includes a first polarizer 10, a liquid crystal cell 11, a second polarizer 12, a thermal control element 14 with a thermal conductivity of 0.3 W/(m·K) or higher, an air layer 15, and a backlight 13, which are arranged in this order.

Abstract: There is provided: an optical film suitable for a liquid crystal display apparatus providing a colorless neutral display in all azimuth angle directions; a liquid crystal panel employing the optical film; and a liquid crystal display apparatus employing the liquid crystal panel. An optical film includes a transparent protective film, a polarizer, and a birefringent layer having a relationship of nx>ny=nz and positive uniaxial property, in the stated order, in which the polarizer and the birefringent layer are laminated directly through one of a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an adhesive.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel according to the present invention includes a backlight portion emitting light having a brightness distribution in a horizontally oblong oval shape assuming that a longitudinal direction of a panel is a horizontal direction; a first polarizer; a liquid crystal cell; an optical compensation layer having a refractive index profile of nx>ny>nz; and a second polarizer, in this order from a backlight side. According to the present invention, a liquid crystal panel having remarkably excellent contrast in an oblique direction, small light leakage in a black display and a small color shift is provided.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell including a pair of substrates provided with a color filter on one substrate, and a liquid crystal layer as a display medium provided between the substrates; and an optical compensation element including at least an optical compensation layer. The optical compensation element is arranged on the same side as the color filter with respect to the liquid crystal layer. The substrate provided with the color filter preferably has a haze value of 10% or less. Such a liquid crystal display apparatus allows excellent viewing angle compensation, exhibits exceptional contrast in an oblique direction, and can be reduced in thickness.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical film including a birefringence layer having a refractive index distribution that satisfies nx>nz>ny, by which productivity of an optical film becomes high because there are a few steps, and a contamination is reduced, is provided. The method for producing an optical film including a birefringence layer includes forming an applied film by applying a birefringence layer forming material containing a non-liquid crystalline material with a birefringence (?nxz) in the thickness direction thereof of 0.0007 or more directly on a shrinkable film, and forming a birefringence layer having a refractive index distribution that satisfies nx>nz>ny by shrinking the applied film through shrinking the shrinkable film.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell including a pair of substrates provided with a color filter on one substrate, and a liquid crystal layer as a display medium provided between the substrates; and an optical compensation element including at least an optical compensation layer. The optical compensation element is arranged on the opposite side against the color filter with respect to the liquid crystal layer. Such a liquid crystal display apparatus allows excellent viewing angle compensation, exhibits exceptional contrast in an oblique direction, and can be reduced in thickness.

Abstract: An optical compensation film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: non-liquid crystal polymers arranged in a tilt alignment, wherein the optical compensation film satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2): 3 [nm]?(nx?ny)×d;??(1) and 5°<?,??(2) where, when an X-axis and a Y-axis, which are plane direction axes of a three-dimensional coordinate system, are perpendicular to each other and an axis vertical to the X-axis and the Y-axis in a thickness direction is defined as a Z-axis, nx and ny indicate a maximum refractive index and a minimum refractive index in an XY-plane of the optical compensation film, respectively, d indicates a film thickness [nm], and ? indicates an angle formed between a direction for providing the minimum refractive index ny and a direction for providing a maximum refractive index nb in a YZ-plane of the optical compensation film.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for producing a retardation film and the like, the retardation film contributing to cost reduction and enlargement of the screen of liquid crystal display devices having a high level of visibility. There is provided a method for producing a retardation film, the method including conveying a long polymer film being continuously fed in a conveying direction while holding both side edges of the polymer film and stretching the polymer film in a direction transverse to the conveying direction while conveying the polymer film, wherein the retardation film has an optical axis in the direction transverse to the conveying direction of the polymer film and has optical properties satisfying 0.1?NZ?0.9, and wherein the polymer film is stretched in the transverse direction with sagged in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display that can suppress an irregularity in temperature in planes of a liquid crystal cell and polarizers, which is caused by heat radiated from a backlight and can 5 suppress depolarization caused by the temperature irregularity, in which, as compared with a conventional liquid crystal display, appearance defects are reduced. The liquid crystal display of the present invention includes a first polarizer 10, a liquid crystal cell 11, a second polarizer 12, a 10 thermal control element 14 with a thermal conductivity of 0.3 W/(m·K) or higher, an air layer 15, and a backlight 13, which are arranged in this order.

Abstract: There are provided a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having an excellent screen contrast, a small color shift, and small display unevenness. The liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal cell, a first polarizer, a second polarizer, a protective layer, a first optical compensation layer and a second optical compensation layer. The protective layer has relationships of 0 nm??nd (550)?10 nm and 0 nm?Rth(550)?20 nm. The first optical compensation layer has an absolute value of a photoelastic coefficient of 40×10?12 (m2/N) or less, and has relationships of ?nd(380)<?nd(550)<?nd(780), nx>ny?nz and 90 nm??nd(550)?200 nm. The second optical compensation layer has relationships of Rth(380)>Rth(550)>Rth(780) and nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical film including a birefringent layer having a refractive index distribution satisfying nx>nz>ny that can be produced by a small number of steps, contains less foreign matter trapped therein, and has high productivity. An optical film including a birefringent layer, wherein the method includes steps of: forming a coating film by directly applying a material for forming a birefringent layer on the shrinkable film; shrinking the coating film in a first direction by shrinking the shrinkable film; and stretching a laminate of the shrinkable film and the coating film in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the material for forming a birefringent layer contains at least one resin selected from the group consisting of norbornene resins, polycarbonate resins, cellulose resins, polyamides, and polyurethanes, and wherein the birefringent layer has a refractive index distribution satisfying nx>nz>ny.

Abstract: There are provided a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having an excellent screen contrast, a small color shift, and small display unevenness. The liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal cell, a first polarizer, a second polarizer, a protective layer, a first optical compensation layer and a second optical compensation layer. The protective layer has relationships of 0 nm??nd (550) 10 nm and 0 nm?Rth(550) 20 nm. The first optical compensation layer has an absolute value of a photoelastic coefficient of 40×10?12 (m2/N) or less, and has relationships of ?nd(380)<?nd(550)<?nd(780), nx>ny>nz and 90 nm??nd(550) ?200 nm. The second optical compensation layer has relationships of Rth(380)>Rth(550)>Rth(780) and nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A polarizing plate in which even slight luminance nonuniformity is provided from occurring is provided. In this polarizing plate 10, a transparent protective film 11, a polarizer 12, and an optical compensation layer 13 are laminated in this order. The moisture permeability of the transparent protective film 11 is different from that of the optical compensation layer 13. The optical compensation layer 13 is a retardation film containing at least one resin selected from norbornene resins, polyvinyl acetal resins, polyester resins, polypropylene resins, polycarbonate resins, and acrylic resins. The moisture content of the polarizing plate 10 is not more than 3%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal cell substrate, a liquid crystal panel, and a liquid crystal display whose thicknesses and weights can be reduced and optical characteristics at the time of producing them are easily controlled. The liquid crystal cell substrate 10 of the present invention is a liquid crystal cell substrate including a resin substrate 11 and an optical compensation layer 12, and the optical compensation layer 12 is laminated on the resin substrate 11. The optical compensation layer 12 has a refractive index distribution satisfying nx?ny>nz, and the optical compensation layer 12 is formed by applying a material for forming an optical compensation layer to the resin substrate 11 or a base substrate that is different from the resin substrate 11.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display panel having a high contrast ratio in a front direction. A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizing plate placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizing plate placed on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; and a retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizing plate. A refractive index ellipsoid of the retardation layer exhibits a relationship of n?ny>nz; and a light transmittance (T2) of the second polarizing plate is larger than a light transmittance (T1) of the first polarizing plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizing plate that includes: a transparent protective film; a polarizer; and an optical compensation layer. The transparent protective film, the polarizer, and the optical compensation layer are laminated in this order. A moisture percentage of the polarizing plate is 2.8% by mass or less. The optical compensation layer includes a retardation film. The retardation film includes at least one resin selected from the group consisting of norbornene resins, cellulose resins, polyvinyl acetal resins, polyimide resins, polyester resins, and polycarbonate resins. The optical compensation layer shows an optical property represented by the following formula (I): nx>ny>nz ??(I).

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal panel that can provide a neutral display that is free from coloring in every direction. The liquid crystal panel includes a first polarizer 14a, a second polarizer 14b, and a liquid crystal cell 13. The first polarizer 14a is arranged on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell 13 and the second polarizer 14b is arranged on the backlight side of the liquid crystal cell 13. The liquid crystal panel further includes a first retardation layer 11 and a second retardation layer 12. A refractive index ellipsoid of the first retardation layer 11 has a relationship of nx=ny>nz, and a refractive index ellipsoid of the second retardation layer 12 has a relationship of nx>ny?nz. The first retardation layer 11 and the second retardation layer 12 are arranged between the liquid crystal cell 13 and the second polarizer 14b.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal panel suitable for a liquid crystal display apparatus and capable of providing colorless neutral displays in all directions, and a liquid crystal display apparatus using the liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer arranged on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a first birefringent layer arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second polarizer arranged on another side of the liquid crystal cell; and a second birefringent layer arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer; in which: the first birefringent layer has a relationship of 1<Nz?2 where an Nz coefficient is defined by Nz=(nx-nz)/(nx-ny); and the second birefringent layer has a refractive index profile of nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A wide viewing angle polarizer having: a polarizing film; and a phase retarder adhesively laminated on at least one surface of the polarizing film through an adhesive layer, the phase retarder being made of a composite phase retarder constituted by a laminate in which a retardation layer B of a cholesteric liquid crystal-oriented solidified layer in a selective reflection wavelength range of not larger than 350 nm is supported by a retardation layer A of a thermoplastic resin exhibiting positive birefringence, the composite phase retarder being formed so that the laminate has Re of not smaller than 10 nm and Rth?Re of not smaller than 50 nm when Re and Rth are defined as Re=(nx?ny)X d and Rth=(nx?nz)X d respectively in which nx and ny are in-plane main refractive indices, nz is a thicknesswise refractive index, and d is a layer thickness.