Abstract: An object is to provide a liquid crystal diffraction element which can convert a zeroth-order ray into polarized light different from an incidence ray. The object is achieved by an optically anisotropic layer having a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which an orientation of an optical axis changes while continuously rotating in one in-plane direction, in which, in a case where a main surface of the optically anisotropic layer is observed with an optical microscope under crossed nicols such that a dark line thicker than dark lines on both adjacent sides is randomly selected, and 80 continuous dark lines are selected with the randomly selected dark line as a first dark line, a width of a dark line at an even-numbered position is narrower than a width of a dark line at an odd-numbered position, which is adjacent to the dark line at an even-numbered position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminate in which optical characteristics of an optical element can be accurately inspected even in a case where inspection light is incident from an oblique direction with respect to a bonded body obtained by bonding the optical element; and an optical element-containing laminate. The laminate of the present invention includes a sticky adhesive layer, an optically isotropic layer, and a first peelable protective layer in this order, in which an in-plane retardation Re1(550) of the optically isotropic layer at a wavelength of 550 nm and a thickness direction retardation Rth1(550) of the optically isotropic layer at a wavelength of 550 nm satisfy a predetermined relationship, and an in-plane retardation Re2(550) of the first peelable protective layer at a wavelength of 550 nm and a thickness direction retardation Rth2(550) of the first peelable protective layer at a wavelength of 550 nm satisfy a predetermined relationship.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a light absorption anisotropic film having a three-dimensional shape and having excellent alignment, which is capable of manufacturing a light absorption anisotropic film having a high degree of polarization even where a three-dimensional shape is provided by heating molding. The method includes a step of producing an intermediate laminate having an optical coating film formed using a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound and a dichroic substance, and an alignment film; a step of heating the intermediate laminate produced by the film forming step to impart a three-dimensional shape; an aligning step of aligning a liquid crystalline component included in the optical coating film in the intermediate laminate imparted with the three-dimensional shape by the heating molding step to produce a light absorption anisotropic film; and a step of curing the light absorption anisotropic film produced by the aligning step.

Abstract: A liquid crystal diffraction element has small wavelength dependence of diffraction efficiency and diffracts light having the same wavelength at the same angle. The liquid crystal diffraction element includes an optically-anisotropic layer that includes a liquid crystal compound, in which the optically-anisotropic layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis of the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates in one in-plane direction, and in an image obtained by observing a cross-section of the optically-anisotropic layer with a scanning electron microscope, the optically-anisotropic layer has bright portions and dark portions extending from one surface to another surface, each of the dark portions has two or more inflection points of angle, and the optically-anisotropic layer has regions where tilt directions of the dark portions are different from each other in the thickness direction.

Abstract: An object is to provide a liquid crystal diffraction element that has small wavelength dependence of diffraction efficiency and diffracts light having the same wavelength at the same angle, an optical element including the liquid crystal diffraction element, and an image display unit, a head-mounted display, a beam steering, and a sensor including the liquid crystal diffraction element or the optical element.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element, an image display apparatus, and a head mounted display where occurrence of a ghost in a head mounted display such as VR glasses can be suppressed.

Abstract: Provided is a transmissive liquid crystal diffraction element having a large diffraction angle and a high diffraction efficiency.

Abstract: Provided are a beam combiner that can form a fine and clear interference pattern, a method of forming an alignment film in which a fine and clear alignment pattern can be obtained, and a method of manufacturing an optical element including a fine and clear liquid crystal alignment pattern. The beam combiner element includes: a beam combiner element that emits light where right/left circularly polarized light components are combined; a polarization separating element that separates incidence light into two right or left circularly polarized light components; and a light control element that focuses or diffuses light and is provided on at least one optical path of circularly polarized light incident into the beam combiner element, in which an absolute value of an ellipticity of circularly polarized light emitted from the beam combiner element is 0.8 or more.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element, an image display apparatus, and a head mounted display where occurrence of a ghost in a head mounted display such as VR glasses can be suppressed.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element having a high diffraction efficiency irrespective of diffraction angles, an optical element including the liquid crystal diffraction element, and an image display unit, a head-mounted display, a beam steering, and a sensor including the liquid crystal diffraction element or the optical element.

Abstract: An object is to provide an optical system capable of improving the brightness of a main image while eliminating a ghost image. In an optical system including: an image display device that emits an image; a linear polarizer through which light associated with the image passes; a first quarter wavelength plate which receives the light from the linear polarizer; a half mirror; a reflective polarizer; and a second quarter wavelength plate provided between the reflective polarizer and the half mirror, retardance of the first quarter wavelength plate and retardance of the second quarter wavelength plate are equal, and thus the object is achieved.

Abstract: Provided is a transmissive liquid crystal diffraction element that can diffract different polarized light components in the same direction and has high diffraction efficiency with respect to unpolarized light.

Abstract: An object is to provide an optical system capable of improving the brightness of a main image while eliminating a ghost image. In an optical system including: an image display device that emits an image; a linear polarizer through which light associated with the image passes; a first quarter wavelength plate which receives the light from the linear polarizer; a half mirror; a reflective polarizer; and a second quarter wavelength plate provided between the reflective polarizer and the half mirror, retardance of the first quarter wavelength plate and retardance of the second quarter wavelength plate are equal, and thus the object is achieved.

Abstract: Provided is a spectroscope excellent in measurement efficiency.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element having a high diffraction efficiency irrespective of diffraction angles, an optical element including the liquid crystal diffraction element, and an image display unit, a head-mounted display, a beam steering, and a sensor including the liquid crystal diffraction element or the optical element.

Abstract: Provided is a transmissive liquid crystal diffraction element that can diffract different polarized light components in the same direction and has high diffraction efficiency with respect to unpolarized light.

Abstract: Provided are a light absorbing material-containing film which contains quantum dots or the like and is capable of suppressing in-plane luminance unevenness and chromaticity unevenness; and a backlight unit. The light absorbing material-containing film includes a light absorbing material-containing layer that has a plurality of cylindrical or polygonal prism-shaped resin portions discretely disposed and a light absorption region contain light absorbing bodies and formed between the plurality of resin portions; a first substrate film that is laminated on one main surface of the light absorbing material-containing layer; and a second substrate film laminated on the other main surface of the light absorbing material-containing layer, where the light absorption region contains at least one phosphor that serves as the light absorbing body, and a binder.

Abstract: An object is to provide an exposure method of a photoalignment layer in which an alignment pattern having no disorder can be formed. The exposure method of a photoalignment layer includes an exposure step of disposing an exposure mask and a substrate that includes a coating film including a compound having a photo-aligned group such that the exposure mask and the coating film face each other, irradiating the coating film with light to which the compound is photosensitive from the exposure mask side, and exposing the coating film to form an alignment pattern, in which the light is circularly polarized light having an ellipticity of 0.7 to 1.

Abstract: An object is to provide an exposure method of a photoalignment layer in which an alignment pattern having no disorder can be formed.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal diffraction element in which chromatic aberration is small and diffraction efficiency is high in the liquid crystal diffraction element, and an image display apparatus and a head mounted display which use this diffraction element. The liquid crystal diffraction element includes an optically anisotropic layer that is formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound, where the optically anisotropic layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating along at least one in-plane direction, and the optically anisotropic layer has at least a curved surface portion.