Abstract: An optical compensator handling higher luminance, capable of achieving a higher contrast ratio while suppressing variation of the contrast ratio, and able to achieve higher definition and longer service life, a liquid crystal display system and a projection type liquid crystal display system using this optical compensator, and a production method and an adjustment method of the display systems are provided. The liquid crystal display system has a liquid crystal device optically modulating an emitted light beam by a liquid crystal layer vertically aligning liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric constant anisotropies and having a pretilt in a direction vertical to a main surface of a substrate, a first polarizer arranged on an incident side of the liquid crystal device, a second polarizer arranged on an emission side of the liquid crystal device, and an optical compensator arranged in a light path between the emission side of the first polarizer and the incident side of the second polarizer.

Abstract: An optical compensator handling higher luminance, capable of achieving a higher contrast ratio while suppressing variation of the contrast ratio, and able to achieve higher definition and longer service life, a liquid crystal display system and a projection type liquid crystal display system using this optical compensator, and a production method and an adjustment method of the display systems are provided. The liquid crystal display system has a liquid crystal device optically modulating an emitted light beam by a liquid crystal layer vertically aligning liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric constant anisotropies and having a pretilt in a direction vertical to a main surface of a substrate, a first polarizer arranged on an incident side of the liquid crystal device, a second polarizer arranged on an emission side of the liquid crystal device, and an optical compensator arranged in a light path between the emission side of the first polarizer and the incident side of the second polarizer.

Abstract: In an image display apparatus according to this invention, higher luminance of a displayed image can be realized by a microlens array provided in a liquid crystal display device. The influence of a pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal panel is optically compensated by the optical compensation layer. Higher contrast of the displayed image and a longer life of the apparatus are thus realized. Since a highly light-resistant inorganic material is used for the optical compensation layer, higher luminance of the displayed image can be realized by higher output of a light source of the image display apparatus. Specifically, if sapphire or crystal, which is highly thermally conductive, is used as the inorganic material, rise in the temperature of the liquid crystal display device can be restrained.

Abstract: In an image display apparatus according to this invention, higher luminance of a displayed image can be realized by a microlens array provided in a liquid crystal display device. The influence of a pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal panel is optically compensated by the optical compensation layer. Higher contrast of the displayed image and a longer life of the apparatus are thus realized. Since a highly light-resistant inorganic material is used for the optical compensation layer, higher luminance of the displayed image can be realized by higher output of a light source of the image display apparatus. Specifically, if sapphire or crystal, which is highly thermally conductive, is used as the inorganic material, rise in the temperature of the liquid crystal display device can be restrained.