Abstract: An optical communications transmitter for use in free space communication from the transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter including a light input and an optical fiber array for directing the light input. The optical communications transmitter further includes an optical phased array for receiving the light input from the optical fiber array and transmitting a light output, the optical phased array being configured for modifying a relative phase of the light input such that the light output exhibits a predetermined far-field intensity pattern.

Abstract: Provided is a holographic display apparatus including: a spatial light modulator that modulates a wavefront of a reference beam to form a hologram image; an optical element arranged to change a position of a viewing window of the hologram image off-axis by a first angle; and an image processor that generates hologram data according to the position of the viewing window of the hologram image and a hologram image to be reproduced, and provides the hologram data to the spatial light modulator. The hologram image formed by the spatial light modulator is viewable from a side of the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A head-mounted display device (HMD) configured to be worn by a user is provided. The HMD comprises an at least partially see-through display, a front-facing camera operative to capture a first image of a real-world scene, and processing means which is operative to select a calibration object from one or more real-world objects, or parts thereof, which are visible in the first image, and derive a calibration transformation for calculating a display position based on a real-world position, such that a virtual object which is displayed on the display at the display position is aligned with a corresponding real-world object located at the real-world position, as seen by the user.

Abstract: A display system includes a wearable eyewear arrangement with a projector for propagating display light associated with an image and a waveguide for propagating the display light to an eye box. The waveguide includes volume Bragg gratings (VBGs), which may be in groups of three or more gratings with same horizontal period allowing each color to be coupled out from the waveguide by the same type of grating, thus, at the same angle, reducing or eliminating image blurriness and ghost images while allowing a smaller size waveguide. A 100% reflective mirror or mirror array is used for broad spectrum reflection into the waveguide for light input. Selection of two or more wavelengths for each color at the projector provides spectral response matching to the waveguide allowing wider field of view (FOV) coverage for the entire wavelength spectrum.

Abstract: An apparatus for measurement of Thomson scattering signals from a plasma includes a light emitting device, configured to emit a light beam into the plasma, along an axis. In addition, the apparatus includes a collector configured to collect the Thomson scattering from the plasma at an angle less than 90 degrees from the axis of the light beam. Further, the apparatus includes a sensor assembly to detect the Thomson scattering.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a diffraction light guide plate including: a light guide unit; an input diffraction optical element configured to diffract light which is outputted from a light source and inputted to the input diffraction optical element, to guide the inputted light on the light guide unit; and two diffraction optical elements configured to receive the diffracted light from the input diffraction optical element and one-dimensionally expand the received light by diffraction, wherein each of the two diffraction optical elements receives the expanded light from the other of the diffraction optical elements and outputs the received light from the light guide unit by the diffraction, and there is no region where the two diffraction optical elements overlap each other on the light guide unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing coherent diffraction in an optical device are disclosed. An optical device may include a grating medium with a first hologram having a first grating frequency. A second hologram at least partially overlapping the first hologram may be provided in the grating medium. The second hologram may have a second grating frequency that is different from the first grating frequency. The first and second holograms may be pair-wise coherent with each other. A manufacturing system may be provided that writes the pair-wise coherent holograms in a grating medium using a signal beam and a reference beam. Periscopes may redirect portions of the signal and reference beams towards a partial reflector, which combines the beams and provides the combined beam to a detector. A controller may adjust an effective path length difference between the signal and reference beams based on a measured interference pattern.

Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted display may have a display system that produces images. The display system may have one or more pixel arrays (26-1, 26-2) such as liquid-crystal-on-silicon pixel arrays. Images from the display system may be coupled into a waveguide (116) by an input coupler system (114X, 114Y) and may be coupled out of the waveguide in multiple image planes using an output coupler system (120X, 120Y). The input and output coupler systems may include single couplers, stacks of couplers, and tiled arrays of couplers. Multiplexing techniques such as wavelength multiplexing, polarization multiplexing, time-division multiplexing, multiplexing with image light having different ranges of angular orientations, and/or tunable lens techniques may be used to present images to a user in multiple image planes.

Abstract: A device includes a polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystal (“PS-BPLC”) layer. The device also includes an alignment structure coupled with the PS-BPLC layer. LC molecules disposed in contact with the alignment structure are configured to have a spatially varying in-plane orientation pattern that is at least partially defined by the alignment structure. The PS-BPLC layer is configured to forwardly deflect a polarized light having a predetermined handedness, and transmit a polarized light having a handedness that is orthogonal to the predetermined handedness.

Abstract: A head worn imaging system includes a light source configured to generate a light beam. The system also includes a light guiding optical element having a thickness between 0.1 and 1.5 mm and configured to propagate at least a portion of the light beam by total internal reflection. The system further includes an entry portion and an exit portion of the light guiding optical element configured to selectively allow light addressing the exit portion to exit the light guiding optical element based on the angle of incidence of the light, the radius of curvature of the light and/or the wavelength of the light.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser beam combining device includes at least two modular laser input equipments, a second diffraction grating, and an output coupler. The modular laser input equipment includes a semiconductor laser, a beam shaping component, a transformation lens, and a first diffraction grating arranged along an optical path in sequence. The semiconductor laser generates a beam. The semiconductor laser is located at a front focal point of the transformation lens. The first diffraction grating is located in front of a back focal point of the transformation lens. Each beam is gathered by the transformation lens and diffracted by the first diffraction grating to the second diffraction grating. Each beam is combined at an identical position and an identical diffraction angle on the second diffraction grating to generate a combined beam. The combined beam from the second diffraction grating enters the output coupler vertically and is outputted by the output coupler.

Abstract: With a simple configuration, a clear illumination area with suppressed blurring is formed, and a form such as position, shape, and size thereof is changed. Divergent light from a point light source is shaped by a collimating optical system and emitted to a hologram element. Since the point light source is arranged at a front focal position of the collimating optical system, the light emitted from the collimating optical system is emitted to the hologram element as parallel light, and diffracted light therefrom forms an illumination area at a predetermined position on an illumination target surface. A light scanning part rotating about a predetermined rotation axis is arranged between the point light source and the collimating optical system, and light incident on the collimating optical system is scanned. By this scanning, an incident angle of the parallel light incident on the hologram element changes, and the illumination area changes.

Abstract: An optical system for transmitting a source image includes a light guide, which defines a light transmission channel, an optical coupling arrangement and an optical decoupling arrangement, the coupling arrangement being designed to couple light emerging from the source image into the light guide arrangement in such a way that the light can propagate in the light guide arrangement by total reflection, and the decoupling arrangement being designed to decouple light that has propagated in the light guide arrangement from the light guide arrangement. The light guide arrangement comprises an optical deflection device, which, as viewed in the direction of propagation of the light in the light guide arrangement, is arranged between the coupling arrangement and the decoupling arrangement and is designed to deflect light ray bundles, emerging from the coupling arrangement at different beam angles and impinging divergently on the deflection device, in bundled manner towards the decoupling arrangement.

Abstract: A structured light projector for generating a far-field image of light dots in a defined pattern is proposed, where the structured light projector includes a light source providing as an output a non-collimated light beam and a specialized diffractive optical element disposed to intercept the non-collimated light beam. The specialized diffractive optical element is formed to exhibit a non-uniform pattern of grating features configured to compensate for the non-planar wavefront and phase retardation of the non-collimated output beam, providing as an output of the projector an interference pattern of light dots exhibiting the desired configuration.

Abstract: Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer file to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lends around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens' applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens' and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

Abstract: A waveguide image combiner is used to transmit a monochrome or full-color image in an augmented reality display. The combiner uses multiple stacked substrates and multiple pairs of incoupling and outcouping VHOEs to expand a first FOV and an image expander to expand the second or perpendicular FOV. This suitably provides an expanded FOV that offers a diagonal FOV?50°, a horizontal FOV?40 and a vertical FOV?25°. The combiner also delivers a large horizontal eye box up to 20 mm and a vertical eye box of 10 mm while maintaining high light efficiency of the real scene (e.g. >80%). The system is able to use a light engine based on broadband (10 nm????40 nm) LEDs and maintain a large horizontal field of view and high transmission of the real imagery. The approach resolves issues with current embodiments including astigmatism, image overlap, color balance, and small light engine pupils leading to reduced eye boxes.

Abstract: An optical dimensioning system includes one or more light emitting assemblies configured to project one or more predetermined patterns on an object; an imaging assembly configured to sense light scattered and/or reflected off the object, and to capture an image of the object while the patterns are projected; and a processing assembly configured to analyze the image of the object to determine one or more dimension parameters of the object. The light emitting assembly may include a single piece optical component configured for producing a first pattern and second pattern. The patterns may be distinguishable based on directional filtering, feature detection, feature shift detection, or the like. A method for optical dimensioning includes illuminating an object with at least two detectable patterns; and calculating dimensions of the object by analyzing pattern separate of the elements comprising the projected patterns. One or more pattern generators may produce the patterns.

Abstract: A spectacle lens for smartglasses can include at least one light source arrangement at the edge of the spectacle lens that emits coherent light, or at least one region at the edge of the spectacle lens for coupling in light from a light source arrangement that emits coherent light, or at least one light source arrangement that is embedded in the spectacle lens. A transparent or partly transparent display can provided to the spectacle lens such that coherent light emanating from the light source arrangement emits coherent light passing through the display or is reflected by the display. The wavefront of the coherent light is modulable in terms of its amplitude and/or its phase by an actuation of the display. A deformation device for deforming the wavefront of the coherent light before or after the modulation by the display can also be provided.

Abstract: There is provided an optical element which includes a medium including a diffractive optical element (DOE). The medium is to receive a beam of light via a light guide. If the beam is incident upon the medium at an incidence angle within a first range of angles, the DOE is to direct a first portion of the beam out of the light guide along a second direction to form an outcoupled beam, and cause a second portion of the beam to propagate towards a surface of the light guide. Furthermore, if the incidence angle is within a second range of angles, the DOE is to split from the beam a third portion and a fourth portion each propagating towards the surface of the light guide. The third and fourth portions are to propagate along a third and a fourth direction respectively, which third direction is different than the fourth direction.

Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a pancake lens block. The pancake lens block includes a first waveplate to form first nonlinearly polarized light, a Fresnel surface to reflect and transmit a portion of the first nonlinearly polarized light, a second waveplate to form first linearly polarized light, and a linear reflective polarizer to transmit linear polarized light of a particular polarization rotation direction and to reflect light of other polarization rotation directions.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a light deflection device having a simple structure suitable for reducing the size and weight where a deflection angle can be increased. The object can be achieved with a light deflection device including: a light deflection element that deflects incident light in one direct to be emitted; a driving unit that drives the light deflection element; and a diffraction element that is disposed on a light emission side of the light deflection element in which a periodic structure pitch gradually changes from a center of deflection from the light deflection element toward an outside.

Abstract: A frequency shift light modulator includes a resonator and a diffraction grating including a plurality of grooves arranged in parallel in a displacement direction of the resonator, and the diffraction grating is provided on the resonator. By providing the diffraction grating on the resonator, it is easy to realize miniaturization and increase in accuracy of the frequency shift light modulator. Further, it is easy to realize application to a high frequency region in a MHz band, that is, high frequency modulation. It is possible to efficiently obtain an effect based on a combination of the resonator and the diffraction grating.

Abstract: An intra-oral optical scanning method for intra-oral optical scanning including projecting a pattern, the pattern including at least a first area illuminated by a first color of light and a second area illuminated by a second color of light and at least one non-illuminated area onto an intra-oral feature, making a first image of the first area, the second area and the non-illuminated area differentiating between the first color of light and the second color of light in the first image of the projected pattern, and determining from the image of the non-illuminated area at least one of an ambient light level, a level of scattered light, a level of light absorption and a level of light reflected from at least one of the first area and the second area. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A filter device for an optical sensor, including a hologram having a defined number of holographic functions, which are developed in such a way that the filter device blocks optical radiation that impinges upon the filter device from a defined first solid angle and optical radiation that impinges upon the filter device from a defined second solid angle is able to pass through the filter device.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an optical transceiver includes a substrate and a laser fixed to a first surface of the substrate, the laser generating output light for transmission along a transmission axis into a region. An optical detection element is fixed to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, the optical detection element receiving input light reflected from the region along a reception axis through an opening in the substrate between the first and second surfaces of the substrate, the transmission axis and the reception axis being substantially parallel.

Abstract: An interference structure having a nanovoided hologram material is described. The nanovoided hologram material may have an index of refraction difference of approximately 0.4. The interference structure may include about 10% to 90% nanovoids by volume. The interference structure may be formed using a mixture of a monomer, an initiator, and solvent. The mixture may be disposed on a substrate and irradiated with two sources of light spaced apart from each other and shining on the same region of the mixture to generate an interference pattern in the mixture, leading to the selective polymerization of regions of the mixture where there is constructive interference of light. Various other devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A head-up display and a multiview head-up display system provide a plurality of different views of a multiview image combined with a view of a physical environment to an eye box as a combined view. The head-up display includes a multibeam element-based display configured to provide the different views of the multiview image and an optical combiner configured to relay the different views to the eye box along with the view of the physical environment view. The multibeam element-based display includes an array of multibeam elements configured to provide a plurality of directional light beams having directions corresponding to respective view directions of the plurality of different views and an array of light valves configured to modulate the plurality of directional light beams to provide the multiview image.

Abstract: An aircraft cabin assembly is depicted and described having a cabin wall, which surrounds a cabin interior space and has a wall surface facing the cabin interior space, and having a light source, which is provided in order to emit light onto the wall surface. The problem of providing an aircraft cabin assembly which, irrespective of the light outside of the aircraft cabin assembly, as effectively as possible gives a passenger in the cabin interior space the impression that the cabin interior space is larger than it actually is, is solved in that the wall surface has a holographic image of an object and in that the light source is designed to emit the kind of light onto the wall surface that allows the holographic image to be seen as a three-dimensional image of the object which is the subject of the holographic image.

Abstract: A device includes a waveguide. The device also includes a plurality of grating sets coupled with the waveguide and configured to, during a plurality of time periods, couple a plurality of input image lights into the waveguide and couple the input image lights out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights. The plurality of input image lights have a substantially same input field of view (“FOV”) with a substantially same symmetry axis. A combined output FOV of the output image lights is larger than the input FOV.

Abstract: An optical device includes a display configured to generate an image light; and a waveguide optically coupled with the display and configured to guide the image light to an exit pupil of the optical device. The waveguide includes an in-coupling element configured to couple the image light into the waveguide, and an out-coupling element configured to decouple the image light out of the waveguide. The out-coupling element includes a grating having a diffraction efficiency gradient along a predetermined direction at a plane of the grating.

Abstract: A waveguide display system may include an eyepiece waveguide that can have a first surface and a second surface, the waveguide including an incoupling diffractive optical element (DOE) and an outcoupling DOE. The waveguide display system may include a light source and a scanning mirror, and may include reflective and collimating optical elements. The incoupling DOE can be configured to selectively propagate incident light beams to the outcoupling DOE in the waveguide through total internal reflection (TIR).

Abstract: A system for capturing VIN numbers and vehicles images to track vehicle damage through vehicle supply chains which includes a mobile software application and/or robot(s) which moves autonomously around parking lots. The mobile application can direct the user to capture VIN images and/or vehicle images from certain views and collect GPS positions of the same and the robot includes various cameras and sensors to identify vehicles and take pictures of them. All of the captured images of vehicles are sent to a central server/storage where the vehicle images can be checked for damage as compared to locations so that it can be determined who was in possession of the vehicle when damage occurred.

Abstract: The interactive holographic human-computer interface (H2CI) includes a local system in communication with an external system, and a holographic display unit for constructing and displaying one or more holograms. The one or more holograms emits electromagnetic radiation. The interface further includes a motion detector for detecting motion, type of motion, dwell time, and location of a physical command object relative to the displayed hologram, and sensors on the external system to determine the location of two or more physical objects relative to each other. Emission and detection by the one or more displayed holograms of electromagnetic radiation is used to simulate electrical, vibration, or other physical phenomena characteristic of the physical objects represented by the one or more displayed holograms. The emitted electromagnetic radiation is converted into a command signal when the electromagnetic radiation is detected by another hologram.

Abstract: A light guide unit forms an optical path to guide a display light emitted from a display unit toward a projection portion. The light guide unit includes a negative optical element and a positive optical element. The negative optical element is placed on the optical path and has a negative optical power. The positive optical element is placed on the optical path and is closer to the projection portion than the negative optical element. The positive optical element has a positive optical power. The positive optical element is a diffractive optical element having a diffractive structure configured to diffract the display light.

Abstract: An optical display system includes an information display (image-generating) component, a polarization rotator, a polarization dependent optical element, an input holographic coupler, a light guide and an output holographic coupler. By controlling the polarization of the displayed light through the polarization rotator, the polarization dependent optical element changes the viewable content to different distances from the viewer. This enables the generation of a proper light field which will then be coupled into the light guide through the input holographic coupler, and finally go through the output holographic coupler to a user's eye.

Abstract: A glasses-type device can include a display part configured to emit image light serving as an image source of a virtual image; a diffraction element configured to reflect and diffract the image light at a predetermined angle; and a first holographic optical element disposed on at least a portion of glass of the glasses-type device, in which the first holographic optical element is configured to cancel dispersion of the image light that is reflected and diffracted by the diffraction element, and reflect the light in which dispersion is canceled to display a virtual image corresponding to the image light.

Abstract: A method and a laser assemblage are described for material processing, such that in a laser assemblage, a laser beam is focused onto a processing/imaging plane and the laser beam can be adapted in terms of its intensity distribution by way of at least one beam shaper. Provision is made in this context that in order to avoid uniformity defects in the processing/imaging plane, the laser beam is split by way of at least one beam splitter into at least two partial or individual beams, and the partial or individual beams are differently influenced, or each partial or individual beam is constituted from a laser source having a different wavelength, in such a way that after they are combined and focused onto the processing/imaging plane they form an output beam having an intensity profile, adjacent intensity maxima of the intensity profile differing in terms of their light properties.

Abstract: A method of enhancing a layout pattern includes determining a vector transmission cross coefficient (vector-TCC) operator of an optical system of a lithographic system based on an illumination source of the optical system and an exit pupil of the optical system of the lithographic system. The method also includes performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) operation of a layout pattern of a photo mask to generate an OPC corrected layout pattern. The OPC operation uses the vector-TCC operator to determine a projected pattern of the layout pattern of the photo mask on a wafer. The method includes producing the OPC corrected layout pattern on a mask blank to create a photo mask.

Abstract: An optical device is disclosed. The optical device has 1) a phase modulation layer, 2) a partially reflective layer, and 3) a phase compensation layer. When incident lights pass through the phase modulation layer, the partially reflective layer reflects and scatters the light back to the viewers. The direction and profile of the reflected light are determined by the phase modulation profile. When light passes through both the phase modulation layer and the phase compensation layer, its phase modulation is compensated to a substantially small level. Therefore, the transparent light passes through the optical device just like passing through a parallel transparent substrate without any disturbance.

Abstract: A method includes projecting a single color illumination light having a first color on a liquid crystal on silicon display device, thereby obtaining a single color image light having the first color from the liquid crystal on silicon display device. The method also includes receiving image light having at least a second color that is different from the first color from a display panel that is different from a liquid crystal on silicon display device and combining the single color image light and the image light for projection toward an eye.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating holograms for encoding in a spatial light modulation device for a holographic display for representing a two- and/or three-dimensional scene. The two- and/or three-dimensional scene is decomposed into object points and encoded in a hologram, which is subdivided into subholograms, in the spatial light modulation device. The object points of the scene are encoded into encoding regions on the spatial light modulation device. A size and/or shape of the encoding region is selected in relation to a size and/or shape of a subhologram, assigned to the encoding region, in such a way that crosstalk of higher diffraction orders in a virtual visibility region is reduced.

Abstract: An optical device includes a waveguide including an in-coupling optical element configured to in-couple light into the waveguide, a light distributing element configured to receive light from the in-coupling optical element and distribute light at a selected wavelength, and an out-coupling optical element configured to receive light from the light distributing element and out-couple light out of the waveguide. The out-coupling optical element includes a first region configured to out-couple light at a first depth plane based on a lens function of the first region and a second region configured to out-couple light at a second depth plane based on a different lens function of the second region.

Abstract: Disclosed are a holographic display method and a holographic display device. The holographic display method includes: acquiring an area of Nth diffraction order corresponding to an eye position; according to the area of Nth diffraction order, calculating a holographic complex amplitude distribution corresponding to a window of Nth diffraction order to obtain window hologram information, a function of the holographic complex amplitude distribution being expressed by C(m,n)=A(m,n)*exp[?i?(m,n)/N]; encoding the window hologram information; and according to the encoded window hologram information, loading the encoded window hologram information in the area of Nth diffraction order to display a hologram.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems allowing electronically pointing and focusing light at different focal planes. The system can be incorporated into a variety of optical schemes for providing electrical control of transmission. In another embodiment, the system comprises diffractive waveplates of different functionality to provide a system for controlling not only focusing but other propagation properties of light including direction, phase profile, and intensity distribution. The diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems are applicable to optical communication systems.

Abstract: A three-dimensional light modulator, of which the pixels are combined to form modulation elements. Each modulation element can be coded with a preset discrete value such that three-dimensionally arranged object points can be holographically reconstructed. The light modulator is characterized in that assigned to the pixels of the modulator are beam splitters or beam combiners which, for each modulation element, combine the light wave parts modulated by the pixels by means of refraction or diffraction on the output side to form a common light beam which exits the modulation element in a set propagation direction.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, devices, and systems for reconstructing three-dimensional objects with display zero order light suppression are provided. In one aspect, a method includes illuminating a display with light, a portion of the light illuminating display elements of the display, and modulating the display elements of the display with a hologram corresponding to holographic data to diffract the portion of the light to form a holographic scene corresponding to the holographic data, and to suppress display zero order light in the holographic scene. The display zero order light can include reflected light from the display.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, devices, and systems for reconstructing three-dimensional objects with display zero order light suppression are provided. In one aspect, a method includes illuminating a display with light at an incident angle, a portion of the light illuminating display elements of the display, modulating the display elements of the display with a hologram corresponding to holographic data to diffract the portion of the light to form a holographic scene corresponding to the holographic data, and redirecting display zero order light away from the holographic scene to suppress the display zero order light in the holographic scene. The display zero order light includes reflected light from the display.

Abstract: A method and an illumination arrangement for generating image effects in the interior of a motor vehicle or also outside the motor vehicle. To use existing installation space as efficiently as possible, light is radiated, in the form of at least a first optical reference wave field, onto a irradiation surface that is arranged laterally on an optical image storage device. In the optical image storage, which contains a holographic layer or a diffractive optical layer, the optical reference wave field is transformed into at least a first image wave field and is emitted on an emission side, at a first angular offset with respect to the irradiation surface.

Abstract: A multiview display, system and method includes an array of light valves having a repeating plurality of color sub-pixels and arranged as a plurality of multiview pixels configured to modulate directional light beams as color pixels of views of a multiview image, and an array of multibeam emitters configured to provide the directional light beams. A location of a multiview pixel relative to a location of color sub-pixels is configured to be shifted as a function of a position of a user of the multiview display to provide dynamic color sub-pixel remapping.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical element capable of widening a field of view of an AR glass or the like; and an image display device using the optical element. The object is accomplished with an optical element including a light guide plate; a switching ?/2 plate capable of switching a phase difference between zero and ?/2; and a first optically anisotropic layer that is arranged between the light guide plate and the switching ?/2 plate, is formed using a composition including a liquid crystal compound, and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which an orientation of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating along at least one in-plane direction of the first optically anisotropic layer.