Abstract: An epitaxial growth substrate includes a base member, and a concave-convex pattern having a plurality of concavities and a plurality of convexities and formed on the base member, wherein: each of the plurality of convexities has an elongated shape which extends while winding (waving) in a plane view; and the plurality of convexities in the concave-convex pattern have extending directions, bending directions and lengths which are non-uniform among the plurality of convexities. There are provided an epitaxial growth substrate which can be produced efficiently and which is capable of improving the light-emitting efficiency of a light-emitting element; and a light-emitting element using the epitaxial growth substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical substrate includes: a step of preparing a long film-shaped mold having a concave-convex pattern surface having a concave-convex pattern; a step of forming a coating film made of a sol-gel material on the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold; a step of adhering the coating film, which is formed on the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold, to a substrate by arranging the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold on which the coating film made of the sol-gel material is formed to face the substrate and by pressing a pressing roll against a surface of the film-shaped mold on a side opposite to the concave-convex pattern surface; a step of releasing the film-shaped mold from the coating film; and a step of curing the coating film adhered to the substrate.

Abstract: An optical substrate according to one embodiment includes a support substrate, and a projection-depression structure layer on a surface of which shapes of projections and depressions are formed, the projection-depression structure layer being laminated on the support substrate. The extending directions of projection portions contained in the projection-depression structure layer are irregularly distributed seen in planar view. An outline seen in planar view of a projection portion contained in a region per unit area of the projection-depression structure layer includes more straight line sections than curved line sections.

Abstract: A light emitting element includes: a concave-convex structure layer, a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode layer provided on a surface of a base member in this order; and a lens member arranged on an opposite surface of the base member on a side opposite to the surface, wherein a center of the lens member is coincident to a center of a light emitting portion in a plane view, the light emitting portion being an area of the organic layer between the first and second electrodes in a base member thickness direction; ratio of diameter D2 of the light emitting portion to diameter D1 of the lens member satisfies D2/D1?0.7; and ratio of distance d to diameter D1 of the lens member satisfies d/D1?0.25, distance d being between the opposite surface of the base member and the center of the light emitting portion.

Abstract: To provide an optical film that can transmit one of orthogonal polarized components and scatter the other one thereof and a process for producing the optical film. An optical film includes an optically isotropic continuous phase and an optically anisotropic dispersed phase, in which the optically isotropic continuous phase has a birefringence of below 1.5×10?4; a ratio: L1/L2 of a mean Feret diameter L1 of the optically anisotropic dispersed phase in one direction D1 of in-plane directions of the optical film to a mean Feret diameter L2 of the optically anisotropic dispersed phase in a direction D2 orthogonal to the direction D1 is 2.5 or more; and the mean Feret diameter L2 is 0.5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A light emitting element includes a base member, a sealing member disposed to face the base member, a concave-convex structure layer, a first electrode, an organic layer, a second electrode, and an adhesive layer. The concave-convex structure layer, the first electrode, the organic layer, and the second electrode are formed on the base member in that order. The adhesive layer is positioned between the base member and the sealing member. An outer periphery of the concave-convex structure layer is positioned between an inner periphery and an outer periphery of the adhesive layer. The light emitting element includes the concave-convex structure layer functioning as a diffracting grating, and thus light extraction efficiency thereof is excellent. Further, a light emitting part is sealed with sufficient sealing performance and deterioration of the light emitting part due to moisture and oxygen is prevented. Thus, the light emitting element has a long service life.

Abstract: A method for producing a mold includes: applying a block copolymer solution made of first and second polymers on a base member; performing a first annealing process at a temperature higher than Tg of the block copolymer after drying the coating film; forming a concavity and convexity structure on the base member by removing the second polymer by an etching process; performing a second annealing process of the concavity and convexity structure at a temperature higher than Tg of the first polymer; forming a seed layer on the structure; laminating or stacking a metal layer on the seed layer by an electroforming; and peeling off the metal layer from the base member. The second annealing process enables satisfactory transfer of a concavity and convexity structure on the base member onto the metal layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a substrate with a concave-convex structure includes: forming a base material layer on a substrate; forming a base layer having a concave-convex pattern by transferring a concave-convex pattern of a mold to the base material layer; and forming a coating layer by coating the concave-convex pattern of the base layer with a coating material, wherein the coating layer is formed such that a thickness of the coating layer is in a range of 25 to 150% of standard deviation of depth of concavities and convexities of the base layer. The substrate with the concave-convex structure manufactured by this method has good light extraction efficiency and effectively prevents leak current in an organic light emitting diode having this substrate.

Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus for inspecting a substrate having an irregular concave-convex surface for scattering lights, comprises a first irradiation system which irradiates the substrate with a first detection light; a first detection system which detects any luminance unevenness from the entire concave-convex surface of the substrate irradiated with the first detection light; a second irradiation system which irradiates the substrate with a second detection light having a wavelength different from that of the first detection light; and a second detection system which detects any defect of the concave-convex surface of the substrate irradiated with the second detection light. The luminance unevenness and a pattern defect of the substrate having the irregular concave-convex surface can be inspected effectively at low cost.

Abstract: A method for producing a mold includes: applying a block copolymer solution made of first and second polymers on a base member; performing a first annealing process at a temperature higher than Tg of the block copolymer after drying the coating film; forming a concavity and convexity structure on the base member by removing the second polymer by an etching process; performing a second annealing process of the concavity and convexity structure at a temperature higher than Tg of the first polymer; forming a seed layer on the structure; laminating or stacking a metal layer on the seed layer by an electroforming; and peeling off the metal layer from the base member. The second annealing process enables satisfactory transfer of a concavity and convexity structure on the base member onto the metal layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a substrate having a concavity and convexity pattern includes: a step for applying a sol containing a silica precursor on a substrate to form a coating film; a step for drying the coating film; a pressing step for pressing a mold having a concavity and convexity pattern against the dried coating film with a pressing roll; a step for peeling off the mold from the coating film; and a step for baking the coating film to which the concavity and convexity pattern has been transferred. The coating film is dried in the drying step so that the ratio of weight of the coating film to dried weight of the coating film is in a range of 1.4 to 8.8, the dried weight being obtained by baking the coating film at a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. The coating film may be heated in the pressing step.

Abstract: In an organic EL element, a concave-convex pattern layer having a first concave-convex shape, a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode layer are stacked on a substrate in this order. Further, an auxiliary layer is provided between the concave-convex pattern layer and the first electrode. A surface of the auxiliary layer on the first electrode side has a second concave-convex shape. The change ratio of the standard deviation of depths of the second concave-convex shape with respect to the standard deviation of depths of the first concave-convex shape is 70% or less. The organic EL light-emitting element, which has a high light extraction efficiency while preventing the occurrence of a leak current, can be obtained.

Abstract: A microlens for an organic EL element, which is used by being disposed on a light-emitting surface of the organic EL element, said microlens comprising a cured resin layer having concavities and convexities formed on a surface thereof, wherein when a Fourier-transformed image is obtained by performing two-dimensional fast Fourier transform processing on a concavity and convexity analysis image obtained by analyzing a shape of the concavities and convexities by use of an atomic force microscope, the Fourier-transformed image shows a circular or annular pattern substantially centered at an origin at which an absolute value of wavenumber is 0 ?m?1, and the circular or annular pattern is present within a region where an absolute value of wavenumber is within a range of 1 ?m?1 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diacetylene derivative represented by the following formula (A) which exhibits liquid crystallinity by itself and has a large refractive index anisotropy or does not exhibit liquid crystallinity by itself but exhibits a large refractive index anisotropy when added to a liquid crystalline compound: R1-Sp1-(Ar1)p-(Ar3)q-(Phe)r-C?C—C?C-(Phe)r-(Ar4)q-(Ar2)p-Sp2-R2??(A) (wherein R1 and R2 are a hydrogen, halogen, cyano, isothiocyanate, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or reactive group, SP1 and SP2 are each a spacer group, Ar1 and Ar2 are each a non-substituted or substituted aromatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic group, Ar3 and Ar4 are each a non-substituted or substituted heterocyclic group, Phe is a non-substituted or substituted 1,4-phenylene group, and p, q and r are each 0 or 1.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical substrate includes: a step of preparing a long film-shaped mold having a concave-convex pattern surface having a concave-convex pattern; a step of forming a coating film made of a sol-gel material on the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold; a step of adhering the coating film, which is formed on the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold, to a substrate by arranging the concave-convex pattern surface of the film-shaped mold on which the coating film made of the sol-gel material is formed to face the substrate and by pressing a pressing roll against a surface of the film-shaped mold on a side opposite to the concave-convex pattern surface; a step of releasing the film-shaped mold from the coating film; and a step of curing the coating film adhered to the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus for inspecting a substrate having an irregular concave-convex surface for scattering lights, comprises a first irradiation system which irradiates the substrate with a first detection light; a first detection system which detects any luminance unevenness from the entire concave-convex surface of the substrate irradiated with the first detection light; a second irradiation system which irradiates the substrate with a second detection light having a wavelength different from that of the first detection light; and a second detection system which detects any defect of the concave-convex surface of the substrate irradiated with the second detection light. The luminance unevenness and a pattern defect of the substrate having the irregular concave-convex surface can be inspected effectively at low cost.

Abstract: An organic EL element includes a transparent supporting substrate; a diffraction grating having a concavity and convexity layer with first concavities and convexities formed on a surface thereof, disposed on the transparent supporting substrate; and a transparent electrode, an organic layer having at least a light emitting layer, and a metal electrode having second concavities and convexities on a surface facing organic layer, which are stacked in this order on the diffraction grating and formed into such shapes such that a shape of the first concavities and convexities is maintained, wherein conditions (A), (B) and (C) respectively relating to a Fourier transformed, standard deviations pertaining to depth distributions for first and second concavities and convexities, and a ratio of the change in standard deviation of depth distribution of the second concavities and convexities relative to depth distributions of the first concavities and convexities are satisified.

Abstract: A light extraction transparent substrate for an organic EL element includes a transparent supporting substrate; a diffraction grating having a first concavity and convexity layer having first concavities and convexities formed on a surface thereof, which is located on a surface of the transparent supporting substrate, and a microlens having a second concavity and convexity layer having second concavities and convexities formed on a surface thereof, which is located on a surface of the transparent supporting substrate. When a Fourier-transformed image is obtained by performing two-dimensional fast Fourier transform processing on a concavity and convexity analysis image obtained by analyzing the shape of each of the first and second concavities and convexities by use of an atomic force microscope, the Fourier-transformed image shows a circular or annular pattern substantially centered at an origin at which an absolute value of wavenumber is 0 ?m?1.

Abstract: A microlens for an organic EL element includes a cured resin layer having concavities and convexities formed on a surface thereof, wherein when a Fourier-transformed image is obtained by performing two-dimensional fast Fourier transform processing on a concavity and convexity analysis image obtained by analyzing a shape of the concavities and convexities by use of an atomic force microscope, the Fourier-transformed image shows a circular or annular pattern substantially centered at an origin at which an absolute value of wave number is 0 ?m?1, and the circular or annular pattern is present within a region where an absolute value of wave number is within a range of 1 ?m?1 or less. The microlens is disposed on a light-emitting surface of the organic EL element.

Abstract: A method for producing a substrate having an irregular concave and convex surface for scattering light includes: manufacturing a substrate having the irregular concave and convex surface; irradiating the concave and convex surface of the manufactured substrate with inspection light from a direction oblique to a normal direction and detecting returning light of the inspection light returned from the concave and convex surface by a light-receiving element provided in the normal direction of the concave and convex surface; and judging unevenness of luminance of the concave and convex surface by an image processing device based on light intensity of the returning light received. An organic EL element which includes a diffraction-grating substrate having an irregular concave and convex surface is produced with a high throughput.