Abstract: Provided is a near-infrared-absorbing dye increasing a visible light transmittance and having a near-infrared blocking characteristic. The near-infrared-absorbing dye has an absorption characteristic measured by dissolving the dye in dichloromethane satisfying the following requirements. ?In an absorption spectrum at a wavelength of 400 to 800 nm, there is a maximum absorption wavelength ?max in a wavelength region of 670 nm or more. ?The following relational expression is established between a maximum absorption constant ?A with respect to light with a wavelength of 430 to 550 nm and a maximum absorption constant ?B with respect to light with a wavelength of 670 nm or more, where ?B/?A?65. ?In a spectral transmittance curve, an average transmittance of light with a wavelength of 430 to 460 nm is 94.0% or more when a transmittance at the maximum absorption wavelength ?max is set to 1%.

Abstract: There is provided a near-infrared cut filter which has a visible light transmitting property and a near-infrared shielding property both at high levels by that its transmission spectrum has a steep inclination in the vicinity of the boundary between the visible light and the near-infrared, and which can also be sufficiently reduced in size and thickness. The near-infrared cut filter has a near-infrared absorbing layer which contains a near-infrared absorbing dye containing at least one dye in which a condensed ring structure containing at least a benzene ring and a ring having nitrogen atom is bonded to both sides of a squarylium skeleton and which have a carboxylic acid amide structure at a second position of the benzene ring (where the carboxylic acid has a substituent having 5 to 25 having one or more branches), and a transparent resin with a refractive index of 1.45 or more.

Abstract: An electrochromic element which suppresses ripples in a color-reduction state and with which good visible light transmittance can be obtained is provided. An electrochromic element 100 includes: a transparent electrolyte layer 110; a pair of solid electrochromic layers which sandwiches the transparent electrolyte layer and is constituted by a pair of a reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and an oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130 opposing each other, and a pair of transparent conductive films 140, where in the thickness and refractive indexe with respect to light at a wavelength of 550 nm about the transparent electrolyte layer 140, the reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and the oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130, those values are provided so as to satisfy predetermined relations to suppress the ripples.

Abstract: There is provided a near-infrared cut filter which has a visible light transmitting property and a near-infrared shielding property both at high levels by that its transmission spectrum has a steep inclination in the vicinity of the boundary between the visible light and the near-infrared, and which can also be sufficiently reduced in size and thickness. The near-infrared cut filter has a near-infrared absorbing layer which contains a near-infrared absorbing dye containing at least one dye in which a condensed ring structure containing at least a benzene ring and a ring having nitrogen atom is bonded to both sides of a squarylium skeleton and which have a carboxylic acid amide structure at a second position of the benzene ring (where the carboxylic acid has a substituent having 5 to 25 having one or more branches), and a transparent resin with a refractive index of 1.45 or more.

Abstract: Provided is a near-infrared-absorbing dye increasing a visible light transmittance and having a near-infrared blocking characteristic. The near-infrared-absorbing dye has an absorption characteristic measured by dissolving the dye in dichloromethane satisfying the following requirements. ?In an absorption spectrum at a wavelength of 400 to 800 nm, there is a maximum absorption wavelength ?max in a wavelength region of 670 nm or more. ?The following relational expression is established between a maximum absorption constant ?A with respect to light with a wavelength of 430 to 550 nm and a maximum absorption constant ?B with respect to light with a wavelength of 670 nm or more, where ?B/?A?65. ?In a spectral transmittance curve, an average transmittance of light with a wavelength of 430 to 460 nm is 94.0% or more when a transmittance at the maximum absorption wavelength ?max is set to 1%.

Abstract: There is provided an optical element which is an apodized filter capable of externally controlling an optical characteristic and stable over a long period. An optical element 100 is an optical element including: a transparent electrolyte layer 110; a pair of solid electrochromic layers which sandwiches the transparent electrolyte layer 110; and further a pair of transparent conductive films 140 which sandwiches a pair of the solid electrochromic layer, wherein a pair of the solid electrochromic layers is constituted by a reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and an oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130 opposing each other, the optical element including: an apodized characteristic in which transmittance increases gradually from an outer periphery toward a center in a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction of the transparent electrolyte layer 110.

Abstract: There is provided a near-infrared cut filter which has a visible light transmitting property and a near-infrared shielding property both at high levels by that its transmission spectrum has a steep inclination in the vicinity of the boundary between the visible light and the near-infrared, and which can also be sufficiently reduced in size and thickness. The near-infrared cut filter has a near-infrared absorbing layer which contains a near-infrared absorbing dye containing at least one dye in which a condensed ring structure containing at least a benzene ring and a ring having nitrogen atom is bonded to both sides of a squarylium skeleton and which have a carboxylic acid amide structure at a second position of the benzene ring (where the carboxylic acid has a substituent having 5 to 25 having one or more branches), and a transparent resin with a refractive index of 1.45 or more.

Abstract: There is provided an optical element which is an apodized filter capable of externally controlling an optical characteristic and stable over a long period. An optical element 100 is an optical element including: a transparent electrolyte layer 110; a pair of solid electrochromic layers which sandwiches the transparent electrolyte layer 110; and further a pair of transparent conductive films 140 which sandwiches a pair of the solid electrochromic layer, wherein a pair of the solid electrochromic layers is constituted by a reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and an oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130 opposing each other, the optical element including: an apodized characteristic in which transmittance increases gradually from an outer periphery toward a center in a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction of the transparent electrolyte layer 110.

Abstract: There are provided a near-infrared cut filter that effectively uses near-infrared absorbing glass and a near-infrared absorbing dye and is excellent in a near-infrared shielding property, and a high-sensitivity solid-state imaging device including the same. A near-infrared cut filter includes: a near-infrared absorbing glass substrate made of CuO-containing fluorophosphate glass or CuO-containing phosphate glass; and a near-infrared absorbing layer containing a near-infrared absorbing dye (A) and a transparent resin (B), on at least one principal surface of the near-infrared absorbing glass substrate, wherein an average value of a transmittance in a 400 nm to 550 nm wavelength range is 80% or more, and an average value of a transmittance in a 650 nm to 720 nm wavelength range is 15% or less.

Abstract: There is provided a near-infrared cut filter which has a visible light transmitting property and a near-infrared shielding property both at high levels by that its transmission spectrum has a steep inclination in the vicinity of the boundary between the visible light and the near-infrared, and which can also be sufficiently reduced in size and thickness. The near-infrared cut filter has a near-infrared absorbing layer which contains a near-infrared absorbing dye containing at least one dye in which a condensed ring structure containing at least a benzene ring and a ring having nitrogen atom is bonded to both sides of a squarylium skeleton and which have a carboxylic acid amide structure at a second position of the benzene ring (where the carboxylic acid has a substituent having 5 to 25 having one or more branches), and a transparent resin with a refractive index of 1.45 or more.

Abstract: A task control unit executes a task according to execution request information for the task, which task is registered using a function provided by task control unit. The task control unit separately controls a task (P-Task) whose execution time is set by a programmer and a task (S-Task) whose execution time is set by a system so that the tasks do not interfere with each other. The task control unit executes plural S-Tasks while complying with their execution periods. By controlling tasks by the foregoing methods, energy is saved and a network load is reduced.

Abstract: There are provided a near-infrared cut filter that effectively uses near-infrared absorbing glass and a near-infrared absorbing dye and is excellent in a near-infrared shielding property, and a high-sensitivity solid-state imaging device including the same. A near-infrared cut filter includes: a near-infrared absorbing glass substrate made of CuO-containing fluorophosphate glass or CuO-containing phosphate glass; and a near-infrared absorbing layer containing a near-infrared absorbing dye (A) and a transparent resin (B), on at least one principal surface of the near-infrared absorbing glass substrate, wherein an average value of a transmittance in a 400 nm to 550 nm wavelength range is 80% or more, and an average value of a transmittance in a 650 nm to 720 nm wavelength range is 15% or less.

Abstract: A projection display device includes: a light source unit including at least one light source configured to emit coherent light; an image light generation unit configured to generate an image light by modulating light emitted by the light source unit; a projection unit configured to project the image light; and a liquid crystal element, disposed in an optical path between the light source unit and the image light generation unit, configured to temporally change a phase and/or polarization of transmitted light, wherein: the liquid crystal element at least includes transparent electrodes respectively provided on opposing faces of a plurality of transparent substrates; a liquid crystal layer including smectic phase liquid crystal showing spontaneous polarization under voltage application is sandwiched between the transparent electrodes; and an AC voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer through the transparent electrodes.

Abstract: A projection display device is provided with: a light source portion including at least one light source that emits coherent light; an image light generation portion that generates image light by modulating the light emitted by the light source portion; a projection portion that projects the image light; a liquid crystal scattering element that is disposed on an optical path between the light source portion and the image light generation portion and temporally changes scattering state for passing light; a transparent electrode formed on each of opposing surfaces of a plurality of transparent substrates of the liquid crystal scattering element; and a liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the transparent electrodes and has liquid crystal of a smectic phase having spontaneous polarization in voltage applied state, and is characterized in that an AC voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer through the transparent electrode.

Abstract: A compound having a good durability against light and capable of producing desired liquid crystallinity after polymerization, and a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing such a compound, are provided. Further, an optical element having a good durability against light, and an optical information writing/reading device employing such an element, are provided. A compound represented by CH2?CR1—COO—R2-Cy-Ph-R3—OCO—CR4?CH2. R1 and R4 are each preferably a hydrogen atom. R3 is preferably a C1-6 alkylene group wherein an oxygen atom is present or not present at an end of the group to be bonded to a cyclic group, and wherein some or all of hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms in the group may be substituted by fluorine atoms; or an alkylene group wherein an oxygen atom is present at an end of the group to be bonded to a cyclic group.

Abstract: A compound having a good durability against light and capable of producing desired liquid crystallinity after polymerization, and a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing such a compound, are provided. Further, an optical element having a good durability against light, and an optical information writing/reading device employing such an element, are provided. A compound represented by CH2?CR1—COO—R2-Cy-Ph-R3—OCO—CR4?CH2. R1 and R4 are each preferably a hydrogen atom. R3 is preferably a C1-6 alkylene group wherein an oxygen atom is present or not present at an end of the group to be bonded to a cyclic group, and wherein some or all of hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms in the group may be substituted by fluorine atoms; or an alkylene group wherein an oxygen atom is present at an end of the group to be bonded to a cyclic group.