Abstract: Provided are a polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer capable of contributing to the reduction in thickness, enhancing viewing angle properties, realizing a high contrast, preventing interference uneveness and heat uneveness, suppressing a color shift, realizing satisfactory color reproducibility, and preventing light leakage in a black display satisfactorily, and a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal display apparatus, and an image display apparatus using the polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer.

Abstract: A polarizing plate with optical compensation layers that performs a wide viewing angle compensation with respect to a liquid crystal cell, allows circularly polarized light to be obtained over a wide range of light wavelengths, contributes to the reduction in thickness, prevents thermal irregularity from occurring, and can effectively prevent light leakage from occurring in a black display. The polarizing plate includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, and a second optical compensation layer that are stacked together in this order. The first optical compensation layer is formed of a liquid crystal compound and has a relationship of nx>ny=nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 100 to 170 nm. The second optical compensation layer has a relationship of nx=ny>nz and a thickness direction retardation Rth2 of 30 to 400 nm. The angle formed between the absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the first optical compensation layer is in the range of “plus” or “minus” 25 to 65 degrees.

Abstract: There are provided a polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer capable of suppressing the degradation in optical properties due to the use under a high-temperature environment, and an image display apparatus using the polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer. The polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer includes a polarizer, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and at least one optical compensation layer, in the stated order. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a dynamic storage shear modulus (G?) at 100° C. of 1.0×104 to 6.0×104 Pa.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizing plate with an optical compensation layer capable of contributing to the reduction in thickness, enhancing viewing angle properties, realizing a high contrast, preventing interference nonuniformity and heat nonuniformity, suppressing a color shift, realizing satisfactory color reproducibility, and preventing light leakage in a black display satisfactorily, and a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal display apparatus, and an image display apparatus using the polarizing pate with an optical compensation layer.

Abstract: There is provide a polarizing plate provided with optical compensation layers capable of performing viewing angle compensation with respect to a liquid crystal cell, providing broadband circular polarization, contributing to thickness reduction, preventing uneven display due to heat, and favorably preventing light leak in black display, and an image display apparatus using the same.

Abstract: To provide a polarizing plate provided with optical compensation layers capable of contributing to thickness reduction, preventing uneven display due to heat, and favorably preventing light leak in black display, and an image display apparatus using the same. The polarizing plate provided with optical compensation layers of the present invention includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, a second optical compensation layer, and a third optical compensation layer in the stated order. The first optical compensation layer, the second optical compensation layer, and the third optical compensation layer each have predetermined absolute value of photoelastic coefficient, refractive index profile, and in-plane retardation and/or thickness direction retardation. An absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the first optical compensation layer form an angle of 10° to 30°. The absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the second optical compensation layer form an angle of 70° to 95°.

Abstract: A polarizing plate with optical compensation layers that performs a wide viewing angle compensation with respect to a liquid crystal cell, allows circularly polarized light to be obtained over a wide range of light wavelengths, contributes to the reduction in thickness, prevents thermal irregularity from occurring, and can effectively prevent light leakage from occurring in a black display. The polarizing plate includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, and a second optical compensation layer that are stacked together in this order. The first optical compensation layer is formed of a liquid crystal compound and has a relationship of nx>ny=nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 100 to 170 nm. The second optical compensation layer has a relationship of nx=ny>nz and a thickness direction retardation Rth2 of 30 to 400 nm. The angle formed between the absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the first optical compensation layer is in the range of “plus” or “minus” 25 to 65 degrees.

Abstract: To provide a polarizing plate provided with optical compensation layers capable of contributing to thickness reduction, preventing uneven display due to heat, and favorably preventing light leak in black display, and an image display apparatus using the same. The polarizing plate provided with optical compensation layers of the present invention includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, a second optical compensation layer, and a third optical compensation layer in the stated order. The first optical compensation layer, the second optical compensation layer, and the third optical compensation layer each have predetermined absolute value of photoelastic coefficient, refractive index profile, and in-plane retardation and/or thickness direction retardation. An absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the first optical compensation layer form an angle of 10° to 30°. The absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the second optical compensation layer form an angle of 70° to 95°.

Abstract: The present invention provides a retardation film on which birefringent layers having different alignment directions can be formed directly. A surface of a polymer film showing birefringence is irradiated with polarized light so as to change an alignment direction of only the surface of the film to be different from an alignment direction of an inside of the film, thereby manufacturing a retardation film having the surface that is processed into an alignment surface. Since this film is a retardation film that also functions as an alignment film, if a liquid crystal layer is formed directly on the alignment surface and is aligned, the birefringent layer having the alignment direction that is different from the alignment direction of the retardation film can be formed on the retardation film.

Abstract: A simple method for producing an anisotropic film, which does not require a light irradiation device having a special mechanism or an advanced alignment adjustment system, is provided. A film containing a photoreactive material is arranged on a polarizing element, and an anisotropy is provided to the film containing a photoreactive material by irradiating the film with light through a filter which blocks light having a wavelength of not more than 290 nm and through the polarizing element. With this method, an anisotropic film can be formed on the polarizing element.

Abstract: A method is provided by which a highly functional thin retardation plate with no appearance defect can be produced. First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a solution of a liquid crystalline compound is applied on a transparent base 1 and dried, or alternatively, a liquid crystalline compound on the melt is applied on the transparent base 1, and thus a liquid crystalline compound-containing layer 2a is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, the liquid crystalline compound-containing layer 2a is brought to a liquid crystal state or a liquid state so as to form a layer 2b. An alignment substrate 3 is brought into contact with an upper portion of the layer 2a so that the liquid crystal compound is aligned in a particular direction. Then, after the liquid crystalline compound is aligned in the particular direction, as shown in FIG. 1C, the liquid crystalline compound-containing layer 2b on the melt is solidified, and the alignment substrate 3 is removed.

Abstract: A simple method for producing an anisotropic film, which does not require a light irradiation device having a special mechanism or an advanced alignment adjustment system, is provided. A film containing a photoreactive material is arranged on a polarizing element, and an anisotropy is provided to the film containing a photoreactive material by irradiating the film with light through the polarizing element. With this method, an anisotropic film can be formed on the polarizing element.

Abstract: A retardation film that has an optical retardation layer whose alignment direction is controlled precisely and that is produced at a low cost, and also a method for producing the same, are provided. The explanation below relates to FIG. 1. First, a base-attached anisotropic layer 12 is prepared by laminating an optically anisotropic layer 11 on a transparent base 10. Next, on the optically anisotropic layer 11, a solution containing a polymer reacting with polarized ultraviolet light and a liquid crystalline compound is coated and dried. Then, it is irradiated with polarized ultraviolet light so as to align the liquid crystalline compound, and irradiated further with unpolarized ultraviolet light as required to crosslink the liquid crystalline compound, thereby forming a retardation film 1 having an optical retardation layer 13 that is directly formed on the optically anisotropic layer 11.

Abstract: There is provided: a broadband and wide viewing angle elliptically polarizing plate with excellent properties even in an oblique direction; and an image display apparatus using the same. The present invention provides an elliptically polarizing plate including: a polarizer; a protective layer formed on one side of the polarizer; a first birefringent layer serving as a ?/2 plate; a second birefringent layer serving as a ?/4 plate; and a third birefringent layer having a refractive index profile of nz>nx=ny, in which a ratio Rth3/Rthp of an absolute value of thickness direction retardation of the third birefringent layer Rth3 to an absolute value of thickness direction retardation of the protective layer Rthp is 1.1 to 4.