Abstract: A retardation film of the present invention comprises a stretched film of a polymer film containing a norbornene-based resin, wherein the stretched film satisfies the following equation (1) and the equation (2); 100 nm?(nx?ny)·d?350 nm,??(1) 0.1?(nx?nz)/(nx?ny)?0.9,??(2) where the refractive indices in the slow axis direction, the fast axis direction and the thickness direction of the film are nx, ny and nz, respectively, d(nm) is thickness of the film, and the slow axis direction is a direction that the refractive index in film plane is maximum. The retardation film is hard to cause a shift or an unevenness of a retardation value due to a stress.

Abstract: An optical film for a liquid crystal display of the present invention laminating a polarizing plate and a retardation film so that an absorption axis of the polarizing plate and a slow axis of the retardation film are perpendicular or parallel to each other, wherein the polarizing plate comprises a transparent protective film on both surfaces of a polarizer and the transparent protective film has an in-plane retardation Re1=(nx1?ny1)×d1 is 10 nm or less and a thickness direction retardation Rth={(nx1+ny1)/2?nz1}×d1 is in the range of from 30 nm to 100 nm, and the retardation film has an Nz value represented by Nz=(nx2?nz2) /(nx2?ny2) is in the range of from 0.1 to 0.8 and an in-plane retardation Re2=(nx2?ny2)×d2 is in the range of from 60 to 300 nm. The optical film of the invention realizes a high contrast ratio over a wide range and a better view in a case where the optical film is applied to a liquid crystal display driving in IPS mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display of the invention comprises an in-plane switching liquid crystal panel containing a liquid crystal layer whose alignment orientation changes according to an electric field in parallel with a surface of a substrate; a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate disposed sandwiching the liquid crystal panel therebetween; a first optical film inserted between the first polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel; and a second optical film inserted between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel, wherein the first optical film includes: a retardation film A1 having a relation of nz>nx?ny; and a retardation film B having an in-plane retardation (Re) in the range of from 200 to 300 nm, a relation of nx>nz>ny and satisfying Nz coefficient in the range of 0.3<Nz<0.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel having improved contrast ratio in an oblique direction and good display evenness without causing shift or unevenness in retardation values due to shrinkage stress of a polarizer or heat of backlight is provided. A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a polarizer arranged on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; a first optical element arranged between one polarizer and the liquid crystal cell; and a second optical element arranged between the other polarizer and the liquid crystal cell, wherein: the first optical element comprises a retardation film containing a norbornene-based resin and satisfying the following expressions (1) and (2); and the second optical element has substantially optical isotropy: 240 nm?Re[590]?350 nm??(1) 0.20?Rth[590]/Re[590]?0.80.

Abstract: A retardation film of the present invention comprises a stretched film of a polymer film containing a norbornene-based resin, wherein the stretched film satisfies the following equation (1) and the equation (2); 100 nm?(nx?ny)·d?350 nm . . . (1), 0.1?(nx?nz)/(nx?ny)?0.9 . . . (2), where the refractive indices in the slow axis direction, the fast axis direction and the thickness direction of the film are nx, ny and nz, respectively, d(nm) is thickness of the film, and the slow axis direction is a direction that the refractive index in film plane is maximum. The retardation film is hard to cause a shift or an unevenness of a retardation value due to a stress.

Abstract: A polarizing plate of the present invention comprising a polarizer and a protective film provided on at least one surface thereof with an adhesive layer, wherein the protective film comprises (A) a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted imide group in a side chain and (B) a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted phenyl group, and nitrile group in a side chain, and the adhesive layer comprises a polyurethane adhesive containing a urethane polyol and an isocyanate crosslinking agent. The polarizing plate exhibits good resistance moisture.

Abstract: An elliptically polarizing plate of the invention comprises: a polarizer; and an optical film that comprises a laminate of: a retardation film A that comprises a cyclic polyolefin resin-containing thermoplastic polymer and has uniaxially-aligned positive refractive-index anisotropy characterized by nx>ny?nz, wherein nx is a refractive index in the direction of X axis along which the in-plane refractive index is maximum, ny is a refractive index in the direction of Y axis perpendicular to X axis, and nz is a refractive index in the direction of Z axis that is the direction of the thickness; and a retardation film B that is fixed to homeotropic alignment and has positive refractive-index anisotropy characterized by nz1>nx1?ny1, wherein nx1 is a refractive index in the direction of X axis along which the in-plane refractive index is maximum, ny1 is a refractive index in the direction of Y axis perpendicular to X axis, and nz1 is a refractive index in the direction of Z axis that is the direction of the thi

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel, a liquid television and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having significantly reduced light leak and coloring in black display, a high contrast ratio in an oblique direction and a small color shift in an oblique direction. A liquid crystal panel according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell including a liquid crystal layer containing nematic liquid crystals in homogeneous alignment in an absence of an electric field; a first polarizer arranged on a viewer side of the liquid crystal cell; a first laminated optical element arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second polarizer arranged on a backlight side of the liquid crystal cell; and a second laminated optical element arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical compensation plate having an optical compensation layer in which occurrence of cracks due to an applied pressure and deformation caused by heat or the like are suppressed. By applying an adhesive that contains a moisture-curing isocyanate compound and has a glass transition temperature of 100° C. or less onto at least one surface of the optical compensation layer and curing the adhesive, an anti-cracking layer is formed directly on the surface of the optical compensation layer. The occurrence of cracks and the deformation in the optical compensation layer can be prevented by this anti-cracking layer. The optical compensation layer preferably is a layer having a cholesteric structure, and a constituent material thereof preferably is a non-liquid crystal polymer formed by polymerizing aligned liquid crystal monomers or an aligned liquid crystal polymer.

Abstract: A method for preparing an optical film, which comprises applying and developing an application liquid mixture containing a liquid crystal monomer, a chiral agent and a polymerization initiator on an orientation substrate, subjecting the resultant developed layer to a heat treatment, to orient the monomer to a cholesteric structure, and then subjecting the developed layer to a poltmerization treatment, to polymerize the oriented liquid crystal monomer, thereby forming an optical film exhibiting a selective reflection wave length of 100 to 320 nm. An optical film prepared by the above method is reduced in the coloring due to selective reflection.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display including: a liquid crystal panel; and a lighting device disposed on one side of the liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal panel including: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer disposed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer disposed on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; and a first optical element disposed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; the absorption axis direction of the first polarizer being substantially perpendicular to the absorption axis direction of the second polarizer, the first optical element having an optical indicatrix having a relationship of nx?nx>ny, the lighting device having: a maximum value of luminance in the wavelength range of 550±50 nm; and a relative luminance at a wavelength of 450 nm is 0.28 or less.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel having improved contrast ratio in an oblique direction and good display evenness without causing shift or unevenness in retardation values due to shrinkage stress of a polarizer or heat of backlight is provided. A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a polarizer arranged on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; a first optical element arranged between one polarizer and the liquid crystal cell; and a second optical element arranged between the other polarizer and the liquid crystal cell, wherein: the first optical element comprises a retardation film containing a styrene-based resin and a polycarbonate-based resin and satisfying the following expressions (1) and (2); and the second optical element has substantially optical isotropy: 240 nm?Re[590]?350 nm??(1) 0.20?Rth[590]/Re[590]?0.80.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel, a liquid television and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having significantly reduced light leak and coloring in black display, a high contrast ratio in an oblique direction and a small color shift in an oblique direction. A liquid crystal panel according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell including a liquid crystal layer containing nematic liquid crystals in homogeneous alignment in an absence of an electric field; a first polarizer arranged on a viewer side of the liquid crystal cell; a first laminated optical element arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second polarizer arranged on a backlight side of the liquid crystal cell; and a second laminated optical element arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer.

Abstract: An optical film for a liquid crystal display of the invention laminated a polarizing plate and a retardation film so that an absorption axis of the polarizing plate and a slow axis of the retardation film are perpendicular or parallel to each other, wherein the polarizing plate comprises a transparent protective film on both surfaces of a complex type scattering-dichroic absorbing polarizer including a film that has a structure having a minute domain dispersed in a matrix formed of an optically-transparent water-soluble resin including an absorbing dichroic material, and the transparent protective film satisfies that an in-plane retardation Re1=(nx1?ny1)×d1 is 10 nm or less and a thickness direction retardation Rth={(nx1+ny1)/2?nz1}×d1 is in the range of from 30 nm to 100 nm; and the retardation film satisfies that an Nz value represented by Nz=(nx2?nz2)/(nx2?ny2) is in the range of from 0.1 to 0.8 and an in-plane retardation Re2=(nx2?ny2)×d2 is in the range of from 60 to 300 nm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal cell having an improved contrast ratio in an oblique direction and an improved color shift in an oblique direction is provided. A liquid crystal panel according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer arranged on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer arranged on another side of the liquid crystal cell; a negative C plate and a negative A plate arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; and an isotropic optical element arranged between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer. The negative C plate is arranged between the first polarizer and the negative A plate.

Abstract: A retardation film of the present invention comprises a stretched film of a polymer film containing a norbornene-based resin, wherein the stretched film satisfies the following equation (1) and the equation (2); 100 nm?(nx?ny)·d?350 nm ??(1), 0.1?(nx?nz)/(nx?ny)?0.9 ??(2), where the refractive indices in the slow axis direction, the fast axis direction and the thickness direction of the film are nx, ny and nz, respectively, d(nm) is thickness of the film, and the slow axis direction is a direction that the refractive index in film plane is maximum. The retardation film is hard to cause a shift or an unevenness of a retardation value due to a stress.

Abstract: A light-diffusing sheet includes a transparent film and a light-diffusing layer formed on at least one side of the transparent film. The light-diffusing layer is composed of a resin coating layer having a rough surface. The transparent film contains a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or unsubstituted imide group at a side chain and a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or unsubstituted phenyl group and a nitrile group at a side chain.

Abstract: A light-diffusing sheet includes a transparent film and a light-diffusing layer formed on at least one side of the transparent film. The transparent film contains a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted imido group in a side chain, and a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted phenyl group and nitrile group in a side chain, and the surface with the minute unevenness has an average height-depth spacing (Sm): Sm?80 ?m, a center-line average surface roughness (Ra): Ra?0.25 ?m and a ten-point average surface roughness (Rz): Rz?9Ra.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal panel having an improved contrast ratio in an oblique direction and an improved color shift in an oblique direction. Further, there is provided a liquid crystal panel with excellent display uniformity. 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 second polarizer arranged on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; a first optical element and a second optical element arranged between the first polarizer and the liquid crystal cell; and a third optical element arranged between the second polarizer and the liquid crystal cell, in which: the first optical element has substantially optically negative uniaxial property; the second optical element satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2) and is arranged between the first optical element and the liquid crystal cell; and the third optical element has substantially optical isotropy.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical compensation plate having an optical compensation layer in which cracks occurring due to an applied pressure is suppressed. By applying a curable adhesive agent onto at least one surface of the optical compensation layer and curing the adhesive, an anti-cracking layer is formed directly on the surface of the optical compensation layer. The occurrence of cracks in the optical compensation layer can be prevented by this anti-cracking layer. The optical compensation layer preferably is a layer having a cholesteric structure, and the constituent material thereof is preferably a non-liquid crystal polymer formed by polymerizing aligned liquid crystal monomers or an aligned liquid crystal polymer.