Abstract: A light-scattering substrate having an irregular shape on one surface thereof is provided, the light-scattering substrate including: a thermoplastic resin; and at least one kind of transparent particles having a mean primary particle size of 3 ?m or more and not more than 12 ?m, wherein the light-scattering substrate contains a first region having a thickness of ½ or more times and not more than 4 times the mean primary particle size of the transparent particles from the surface having an irregular shape; and a second region having a thickness of 3/2 or more times the mean primary particle size of the transparent particles from a surface on back side of the surface having an irregular shape, and the first region and the second region have a region not substantially containing the transparent particle.

Abstract: Glazing articles that reduce glare include a glazing substrate, and a reflective polarizing film article attached to the glazing substrate. The reflective polarizing film article includes a reflective polarizing film, and a reflection inhibitor layer. The reflective polarizing film articles reduce transmission of polarized light with a polarization block axis that is horizontal, and reduce horizontally polarized light to 90% or less of the horizontally polarized incident visible light. The reflective polarizing film may include a multi-layer film construction. The reflection inhibitor layer may include a tinted layer or an absorptive polarizer layer. Glazing units that reduce glare include at least one glazing substrate, at least one reflective polarizing film, and at least one reflection inhibitor layer. The glazing substrate, reflective polarizing film, and reflection inhibitor layer may or may not be in contact with one another.

Abstract: Provided is a polarizing element having excellent optical properties and high light resistance to intense light. This polarizing element is provided with a transparent substrate, an absorbing layer disposed on the transparent substrate and constituting grid-shaped convexities arrayed at a pitch smaller than the wavelengths in the optical bandwidth used, a dielectric layer formed on the absorbing layer, and a reflective layer formed on the dielectric layer. Because the absorbing layer, which interferes with and absorbs light, is in contact with the transparent substrate, heat dissipation can be improved and heat resistance of the polarizing plate can be improved.

Abstract: A method for producing a polarizing element includes the steps of: forming an island-shaped film of a metal halide on a glass substrate; forming needle-shaped particles of the metal halide by stretching the glass substrate through heating to elongate the island-shaped film; and forming needle-shaped metal particles composed of a metal by reducing the metal halide of the needle-shaped particles, wherein the metal halide is deposited on the glass substrate by a reactive physical vapor deposition method.

Abstract: A method for producing a polarizing element includes the steps of: forming a coating film of a metal on a glass substrate; forming an island-shaped film composed of a metal halide on the glass substrate by partially removing the coating film and also halogenating the metal; forming needle-shaped particles of the metal halide by stretching the glass substrate through heating to elongate the island-shaped film; and forming needle-shaped metal particles composed of a metal by reducing the metal halide of the needle-shaped particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical film composite that includes a linear, reflective polarizing film; a first polymeric substrate layer having birefringence, which is placed on the reflective polarizing film; and a second polymeric substrate layer placed beneath the reflective polarizing film, wherein the optical axis of the first polymeric substrate layer is oriented with respect to the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing film to have of 0° to 25° of an angular difference between the axes. The optical film composite can be employed in LCD devices to improve optical performance.

Abstract: A broadband mirror, polarizer, or other reflector includes separate stacks of microlayers. Microlayers in each stack are arranged into optical repeat units, and the stacks are arranged in series. At a design angle of incidence such as normal incidence, the second stack provides a second 1st order reflection band and a distinct second 2nd order reflection band with a second spectral pass band therebetween. The first stack provides a first 1st order reflection band that fills the second spectral pass band such that a single wide reflection band is formed that includes the first 1st order reflection band, the second 1st order reflection band, and the second 2nd order reflection band. In some cases, the single wide reflection band can include a first 2nd order reflection band of the first stack. In some cases, the first and second stacks may have apodized portions which monotonically deviate from respective baseline portions.

Abstract: A polarization converter for use in a projector apparatus is provided. The polarization converter includes a polarizing beam splitter, a half wavelength retarder and a quarter wavelength retarder. The polarizing beam splitter could split a first light into a first light beam with a first polarized direction and a second light beam with a second polarized direction. The half wavelength retarder is disposed on the side of the polarizing beam splitter and the second light beam is converted into the second light beam with the first polarized direction by the half wavelength retarder. The first and second light beams with the first polarized direction are coupled to form a first polarized light with the first polarized direction. The quarter wavelength retarder is disposed behind the half wavelength retarder so that the first polarized light is converted into a first circularly polarized light.

Abstract: A reflective polarizer comprises a light-permeable substrate and a grating structure. The grating structure is disposed on the light-permeable substrate and includes a first grating layer and a second grating layer. The first grating layer includes a first array containing a plurality of first metallic units. The second grating layer is stacked on the first grating layer and includes a second array containing a plurality of second metallic units. The first metallic units and the second metallic units are respectively made of different metallic materials. The abovementioned reflective polarizer can improve the transmittance of the short-wavelength light and the spectral response uniformity of the element without increasing the difficulty of fabricating the molds of the nanograting structure.

Abstract: Provided is an optical layered body that includes a polyester base, a primer layer formed thereon, and a hard coat layer formed on the primer. The polyester has a retardation of not less than 8000 nm, and a difference (nx?ny) of 0.07 to 0.20 between a refractive index (nx) in a slow axis direction that is a high refractive index direction and a refractive index (ny) of a fast axis direction that is orthogonal to the slow axis direction, a refractive index (np) of the primer, the refractive index (nx) in the slow axis direction of the polyester, and the refractive index (ny) in the fast axis direction of the polyester satisfy ny<np<nx, and a refractive index (nh) of the hard coat, the refractive index (nx) in the slow axis direction of the polyester, and the refractive index (ny) in the fast axis direction of the polyester satisfy ny<nh<nx.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a laminate of three or more layers of optical films, including: forming a first and a second optical film pieces by cutting the first and second optical films having an elongated shape respectively; disposing the first and second optical film pieces adjacent to each other in a substantially band or strip shape with their optical orientation axis crossing the longitudinal direction of the band or strip-shape; laminating the first and second optical film pieces on a third optical film; and a cutting step of, while holding the third optical film, the first film layer and the second film layer in a laminated state, cutting them into plural pieces, and thereby forming optical film laminates.

Abstract: Provided are a polarizer protective film containing a (meth)acrylic resin as a main component and being excellent in adhesion with a polarizer, a polarizing plate including the polarizer protective film and a polarizer which are unlikely to peel off from each other, and an image display apparatus of high quality using the polarizing plate. The polarizer protective film of the present invention includes a coating layer containing a (meth)acrylic resin (B) as a main component on at least one surface of a film containing a (meth)acrylic resin (A) as a main component.

Abstract: A polarizing plate for use with an organic light emitting display includes an adhesive layer, a retardation film, a polarizer, and a protective film sequentially stacked in this order, the polarizing plate further including a positive C plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a miniature, two-dimensional, auto-cloning, polarizing beam splitter that includes a substrate and an optical multilayer. The substrate is formed with a periodic structure. The optical multilayer is formed on the periodic structure of the substrate. The optical multilayer includes a (LH)n structure wherein H represents a film of a high refractive index, and L represents a film of a low refractive index, and n is an integer. The auto-cloning polarizing beam splitter is operable to split infrared light of wavelengths of 1000 nm to 1300 nm.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multilayer optical sheet module including an upper optical sheet comprising a first structural pattern projected upward; a lower optical sheet disposed under the upper optical sheet, the lower optical sheet comprising a second structural pattern projected toward the upper optical sheet; and an adhesion layer provided between the upper optical sheet and the lower optical sheet, wherein the second structural pattern includes a light transmitting part having a traverse cross section getting smaller along an upward direction; and an embedded part continuously connected to an upper portion of the light transmitting part, with a predetermined portion embedded in the adhesion layer, and a circumference of a cross section possessed by the embedded part, contacting with the adhesion layer, is larger than a circumference of a virtual cross section locus formed by extending the light transmitting part upward, with a continuous slope.

Abstract: An optical film includes a transparent film having a thickness of 10 to 150 ?m and a first layer on a first surface of the transparent film. The first layer has an average in-plane refractive index that is highest of average refractive indices of the transparent film and a layer disposed on the first surface, and the average in-plane refractive index of the first layer is higher than average refractive indices of the transparent film and the layer other than the first layer disposed on the first surface by 0.02 or more, wherein the average in-plane refractive index of the first layer is higher than the average refractive index of the transparent film by 0.02 or more, provided that the layer disposed on the first surface is the first layer alone, and the first layer has an optical thickness D satisfying: 260×N?190?65 nm?D?260×N?190+65 nm (N is an integer of 6 to 12).

Abstract: There is provided a polarizer for organic light emitting diodes (OLED) having improved brightness. The polarizer, which comprises a linear polarizer and a ¼ retardation plate, comprises a reflective polarizer film disposed between the linear polarizer and the ¼ retardation plate and transmitting a polarized light horizontal to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer while reflecting a polarized light vertical to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer. The polarizer may be useful to highly improve the brightness of the OLED device when the polarizer is used in the OLED device.

Abstract: Certain patternable reflective films are used as masks to make other patterned articles, and one or more initial masks can be used to pattern the patternable reflective films. An exemplary patternable reflective film has an absorption characteristic suitable to, upon exposure to a radiant beam, absorptively heat a portion of the film by an amount sufficient to change a first reflective characteristic to a different second reflective characteristic. The change from the first to the second reflective characteristic is attributable to a change in birefringence of one or more layers or materials of the patternable film. In a related article, a mask is attached to such a patternable reflective film. The mask may have opaque portions and light-transmissive portions. Further, the mask may have light-transmissive portions with structures such as focusing elements and/or prismatic elements.

Abstract: Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses comprise a polyvinylalcohol polarizer film or similar type of material laminated with triacetate or similar type material on one or both sides, wherein the polarizer film has a polarizing efficiency equal to or exceeding 99% and a transmittance percentage equal to or exceeding 35% and a retarder film (e.g., norbornene copolymer resin) laminated on a front surface of the polyvinylalcohol polarizer film laminated with triacetate and aligned to produce a desired circular polarization responsive to specified retardation wavelengths. Thermoforming and press polishing techniques may be used to fabricate/curve the blanks into lenses. The lenses (optical elements) may be used in an injection molding process to add thickness.

Abstract: A multilayer optical film body includes a first and second packet of microlayers. Each packet partially transmits and partially reflects light over an extended wavelength range, such as the visible region, for normally incident light polarized along a first principal axis of the film body. In combination, the first and second packets have an intermediate reflection and transmission (e.g. 5-95% internal transmission, on average) for the normally incident light, and similar intermediate reflection/transmission (e.g. 10-90% internal transmission, on average) for oblique light. The packets are laminated or otherwise connected so that light can pass through the packets sequentially. In at least a first test area of the film body, a high frequency spectral variability of the combination of packets is less than a high frequency spectral variability of the first packet by itself, and may also be less than a high frequency spectral variability of the second packet by itself.

Abstract: A polarizing element includes: a substrate; a plurality of reflection layers that is arranged in a band shape at a predetermined interval on the substrate; dielectric layers that are formed on the reflection layers; and inorganic micro-particle layers that are formed on the dielectric layers by inorganic micro-particles having shape anisotropy in which a length of a diameter of the micro-particles in an arrangement direction of the reflection layers is longer than a length of a diameter of the micro-particles in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the reflection layers and has convex portions toward a side of a first adjacent reflection layer and a side of a second adjacent reflection layer.

Abstract: A polarizing element includes: a substrate; a plurality of reflection layers that is arranged in a band shape at a predetermined interval on the substrate; dielectric layers that are formed on the reflection layers; and absorption layers on the dielectric layers that have convex portions disposed toward a side of a first adjacent reflection layer and a side of a second adjacent reflection layer.

Abstract: An optical film is provided. The optical film includes a substrate, a first transmission medium, second transmission medium, and a reflective polarizing film. The first transmission medium is disposed at the front surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of embossed microlenses. The second transmission medium is disposed at the rear surface of the substrate and comprises a plurality of V-shaped prisms. The reflective polarizing film is disposed at the front surface of the first transmission medium. The substrate, the first transmission medium, and the second transmission medium are bounded to each other to form a unitary sheet.

Abstract: An optical element has layers formed on a substrate, including alternating first and second layers having first and second refractive indices, nL and nH that exhibit a spectral characteristic, providing, for incident light at a predetermined wavelength and directed toward the optical element within a range of angles bounded by first and second incident angles ?1 and ?2, between 0 and 80 degrees and differing by at least 1 degree, substantially linear polarization-averaged attenuation of the incident light energy wherein, for any incident angle ?n between ?1 and ?2, A?n is the corresponding polarization-averaged attenuation, and wherein the polarization-averaged attenuation at A?n at angle ?1 is less than or equal to an optical density value of 0.2 and the polarization-averaged attenuation A?n at angle ?2 exceeds an optical density value of 4.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate film includes a cellulose acylate; and a polyester diol having a hydroxyl group at each of the both terminals in an amount of 5 mass % or more based on the amount of the cellulose acylate.

Abstract: An optical sheet and a liquid crystal display including the same are disclosed. The optical sheet includes a reflective polarizing film, a first adhesive layer on one surface of the reflective polarizing film, and a first diffusion layer on the first adhesive layer. The first adhesive layer has first and second thicknesses. The first diffusion layer includes a first light transmitting material and a plurality of first diffusion particles. At least one of the first diffusion particles has a portion protruding above a surface of the first light transmitting material, and a height of the portion, h1, substantially satisfies the following equation: 0.1D1?h1?0.7D1, where D1 is a diameter of the at least one of the first diffusion particles. The first thickness, T1, and the second thickness, T2, substantially satisfy the following equation: 10 nm?|T1?T2|?2 ?m.

Abstract: A film construction (330) includes a broad band reflective polarizing film (312) that may be immersed in an ultra low refractive index medium (332, 334). The reflecting polarizing film is characterized by a pass axis and a block axis, and its reflectivity for white light of the pass state polarization increases with increasing incidence angle to provide a compressed or narrowed viewing cone selectively in one plane of incidence. In some embodiments, the plane of incidence associated with the compressed viewing cone is aligned with the pass axis. In other embodiments it is aligned with the block axis.

Abstract: In a polarization conversion element including a plurality of light transmitting substrates and an optical element that includes polarization splitting films and reflective films that are alternately disposed between the light transmitting substrates, and a laminated wave plate that is arranged on the light outgoing face of the optical element and rotates the polarization plane of light emitted from the optical element by ?, a laminated wave plate is acquired by stacking a first wave plate of a phase difference ?1 for light of a wavelength ? and a second wave plate of a phase difference of ?2 such that the optical axes thereof intersect each other, the relationship is “|?1??2|=180 (degrees), and the azimuth of the optical axis of the first wave plate and the azimuth of the optical axis of the second wave plate are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: The polarization beam splitting element includes a one-dimensional grating structure having a grating period smaller than a wavelength of an entering beam and including a metal grating portion, and two light-transmissive members each having a refractive index higher than that of air. The one-dimensional grating structure is disposed between the two light-transmissive members. The grating period of the one-dimensional grating structure is 120 nm or less, a thickness of the one-dimensional grating structure is 100 nm or less and an inter-grating portion of the one-dimensional grating structure is formed as a vacuum space or formed of air or a dielectric material. The grating period ? [nm], a filling factor FF that is a ratio w/? of a width w [nm] of the grating portion to the grating period, a refractive index na of the inter-grating portion and a wavelength ?g of 550 [nm] satisfy (1.4na?2.9)?/?g?0.57na+1.32?FF?(1.4na?2.9)?/?g?0.57na+1.39 and 0.152np?1.375(?/?g)+0.5?FF?0.152np?1.375(?/?g)+0.6.

Abstract: The polarization beam splitting element splits an entering beam according to polarization directions. The element includes, in order from a beam entrance side, an entrance side multi-layered film layer constituted by laminated multiple dielectric films, and a one-dimensional grating structure having a grating period smaller than a wavelength of the entering beam and formed of a metal. When a medium existing on the beam entrance side further than the entrance side multi-layered film layer is referred to as an entrance medium, the multiple dielectric films constituting the entrance side multi-layered film layer include at least one dielectric film having a higher refractive index than that of the entrance medium and at least one dielectric film having a lower refractive index than that of the entrance medium.

Abstract: A polarizing plate, a fabrication method thereof, and a display device using the same are provided. The polarizing plate includes a polarizing element, a first adhesive layer formed on one surface of the polarizing element, a second adhesive layer formed on the other surface of the polarizing element, a protective film attached to an upper portion of the first adhesive layer, a bonding layer attached to a lower portion of the second adhesive layer, and a luminance enhancement film attached to the bonding layer.

Abstract: A light transmissive panel is provided comprising a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein each sheet is made up of a nonbirefringant substrate and a wire grid polarizer pattern of continuously varying absorption axis orientation formed on the nonbirefringant substrate. The wire grid polarizer patterns on each of the first and second sheet are mechanically translatable relative to each other, wherein the mechanical translation controls transmission of light through the light transmissive panel. Also taught is an example wherein each sheet of the panel is made of a wire grid polarizer that is laminated with a continuous variable thickness wave plate retarder, wherein the continuous variable thickness wave plate retarder rotates input light by an amount determined by the thickness of the wave plate retarder. Also taught is an example wherein each sheet of the panel is made up of a traditional polarizer and continuously varying thickness wave retarder.

Abstract: A light-uniforming anti-glaring structure includes a light-polarizing reflection unit and a light-polarizing position adjusting unit. The light-polarizing reflection unit includes a multilayer reflector composed of a plurality of inter-stacked polymer films. One of the inter-stacked polymer films is a birefringence material layer that conforms to the condition of NX?NY?NZ, wherein NX is the index of refraction of light at X direction, NY is the index of refraction of light at Y direction, and NZ is the index of refraction of light at Z direction. The light-polarizing position adjusting unit is coupled with the light-polarizing reflection unit for adjusting the position of the light-polarizing reflection unit.

Abstract: There are provided a lens, a method of fabricating the lens, and a light scanning unit. The lens includes a lens portion having an effective optical surface, and a gate-side flange portion between the lens portion and a gate-side end of the lens. If the lens is disposed between two polarizers configured to polarize light linearly in perpendicular directions and is illuminated in an optical axis direction, interference fringes are generated on the lens, and peripheral interference fringes of the interference fringes extend continuously from the gate-side end and are longer than the gate-side flange portion.

Abstract: An elliptical polarizer with excellent viewing angle characteristics is provided which comprises at least a first polarizer, a first optical anisotropic layer, a second optical anisotropic layer, and a third optical anisotropic layer, laminated in this order, wherein the first optical anisotropic layer satisfies [1] 50?Re1?500, the second optical anisotropic layer satisfies [2] 0?Re2?20 and [3] ?500?Rth2??30, and the third optical anisotropic layer satisfies [4] 100?Re3?180 wherein Re and Rth indicate the retardation values in the plane and thickness direction, respectively, of each of the optical anisotropic layers.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first optical member and a second optical member formed of a medium having a refractive index greater than 1, and a multiple layer film section. The multiple layer film section has a structure in which at least two types of thin film layers namely a first thin film layer and a second thin film layer which has a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the first thin film layer, are stacked alternately. The first optical member and the second optical member are joined by an adhering means (an adhesive), and satisfy a predetermined condition. At the multiple layer film section, from a light incident, a light in a first wavelength band is let to be reflected, and a light in a second wavelength band which is shorter than the first wavelength band, and a light in a third wavelength band which is longer than the first wavelength band is let to pass (to be transmitted).

Abstract: Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses decode three-dimensional content displayed on televisions or computer monitors. Sheets from which the lenses are cut have either (i) a polarizing axis of 0 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at ?45 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal; (ii) a polarizing axis of ?45 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal; or (iii) a polarizing axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal.

Abstract: An adhesive composition for polarizing plates in which an acrylic polymer, a tin compound having a dialkyl group and serving as a cross-linking accelerator and an isocyanate cross-linker are dissolved in an organic solvent, the acrylic polymer being formed by copolymerization of monomers containing an alkyl (meth)acrylate, a hydroxyl group containing monomer and/or a carboxyl group containing monomer, wherein preferably, a solution containing 30% by weight of the acrylic polymer which constitutes the adhesive composition, dissolved in 70% by weight of ethyl acetate has a viscosity in the range of 0.5 to 10.0 Pa·s measured at 23° C., and the acrylic polymer has a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 300,000 to 700,000.

Abstract: A grating has a high diffraction efficiency into the minus first diffracted order in transmission, for both TE and TM polarizations. The incident angle may optionally be chosen so that the minus first diffracted order in reflection would be retroreflected back to the incident beam. The grating may be formed from various materials and/or layers, where the thicknesses of the individual layers may be determined by an optimization or simulation process. In one aspect, the grating may have four or more layers, formed with three or more materials. In another aspect, the grating may have a longitudinal refractive index profile that contains at least two local extrema, such as a maximum and/or minimum. Such a grating may be formed from three or more materials, two materials, or a single material that has a continuously varying refractive index. Any or all of the materials may have a continuously varying refractive index profile, as well.

Abstract: Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses comprise a polyvinylalcohol polarizer film or similar type of material laminated with triacetate or similar type material on one or both sides, wherein the polarizer film has a polarizing efficiency equal to or exceeding 99% and a transmittance percentage equal to or exceeding 35% and a retarder film (e.g., norbornene copolymer resin) laminated on a front surface of the polyvinylalcohol polarizer film laminated with triacetate and aligned to produce a desired circular polarization responsive to specified retardation wavelengths. Thermoforming and press polishing techniques may be used to fabricate/curve the blanks into lenses. The lenses (optical elements) may be used in an injection molding process to add thickness.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display and a polarizing plate used in the same. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal cell and a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate respectively provided on each side of the liquid crystal cell. The first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate each includes a polyvinyl alcohol polarizing film and protective films provided on both sides of the polyvinyl alcohol polarizing film, the protective films that are provided on surfaces opposite to the liquid crystal cell of the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate each has vapor transmissivity of 100 g/m Day or less, and the protective films that are provided on surfaces abutting the liquid crystal cell of the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate each has the vapor transmissivity of more than 1,500 g/m Day.

Abstract: A hybrid polarizer includes an absorbing element having a first major surface and a second major surface. The hybrid polarizer also includes a first birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the first major surface of the absorbing element, the first birefringent reflective polarizer having a first pass axis and a first block axis. The hybrid polarizer further includes a second birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the second major surface of the absorbing element, the second reflective polarizer having a second pass axis and a second block axis.

Abstract: Two types of layers are simultaneously formed on a substrate and another substrate under the same layer forming condition, the heights of which are equal to a half height of an intended retardation compensation layer. Physical properties of the respective two types of layers formed on the substrates are identical to each other, and if deviations are produced in retardation distribution characteristics for azimuth angles of incident light, these deviations are commonly provided in the respective two types of layers. When one substrate is superposed with the other substrate and these superposed substrates are integrated with each other in order to make a single sheet of retardation compensation element, after one of these substrates is rotated by an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the other substrate, these substrates are stuck to each other by an adhesive agent.

Abstract: A polarizing beam splitter includes: first and second prisms each having first and second end surfaces serving as an input surface or an output surface of light and an opposed surface as side surfaces of a pillar-like member; and at least two parallel flat layers disposed in parallel between the opposed surfaces of the first and second prisms. Here, one of the least two parallel flat layers is a first parallel flat layer polarization-separating the input beam. When it is assumed that the refractive index of a base material of the first and second prisms is Np, the resultant refractive index of the parallel flat layers other than the other parallel flat layer of the at least two parallel flat layers is Na, and the refractive index of the other parallel flat layer of the at least two parallel flat layers is Nb, (Na?Np)×(Nb?Np)<0 is satisfied.

Abstract: An optical element is disclosed which includes a multilayer film having a light-transmission function for light in the entire wavelength range impinging thereon at a predetermined incident angle and a polarization splitting function for S-polarized light and P-polarized light impinging thereon at another incident angle. The optical element includes two entrance surfaces, one emergence surface, three transmissive surfaces each of which faces a reflective image-forming element, and first and second optical structures respectively formed along first and second planes intersecting each other. The all normals to the above surfaces and the first and second planes are parallel to a same plane. The optical element satisfies 45°<?0<75°, where ?0 is a smaller one of angles made by the first and second planes.

Abstract: A reflective film includes microlayers arranged into optical repeat units to reflect light in an extended wavelength band, with thinner and thicker ones of the optical repeat units being disposed generally towards a thin side and thick side, respectively, of the film. The microlayers are tailored to provide the film with a reflectivity, for p-polarized light incident in a first plane, that decreases by at least half from an initial value at normal incidence to a value R1 at an incidence angle ?oblique. The film has a reflectivity for p-polarized light incident in a second plane of R2 at the angle ?oblique, where R2>R1. A polarizer is combined with the reflective film, the combination defining an oblique transmission lobe, and the thick and thin sides of the reflective film are oriented relative to the polarizer to reduce an azimuthal width ?? of the transmission lobe.

Abstract: Optical elements, color combiners using the optical elements, and image projectors using the color combiners are described. The optical elements can be configured as color combiners that receive different wavelength spectrums of light and produce a combined light output that includes the different wavelength spectrums of light. In one aspect, the received light inputs are unpolarized, and the combined light output is polarized in a desired state. In one aspect, the received light inputs are unpolarized, and the combined light output is also unpolarized. The optical elements are configured to minimize the passage of light which may be damaging to wave-length-sensitive components in the light combiner. Image projectors using the color combiners can include imaging modules that operate by reflecting or transmitting polarized light.

Abstract: An Si—O containing hydrogenated carbon film as an optical film has a refractive index in a range from at least 1.48 to at most 1.85 for light of 520 nm wavelength and an extinction coefficient of less than 0.15 for light of 248 nm wavelength, wherein the refractive index and the extinction coefficient are decreased with energy beam irradiation. By utilizing such an Si—O containing hydrogenated carbon film, it is possible to provide various types of optical elements and an optical device including the same.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a reflective focusing and transmissive projection device having a body, a set of reflective-focusing components and a light detector. The body has a surface layer with first and second surfaces, and a detecting layer outside the second surface. The set of reflective-focusing components is in the surface layer. Each reflective-focusing component has a contouring element and a curved reflective element conformed to the contouring element. The curved reflective element is configured to reflect light of a first type, transmit light of a second type and focus the light of the first type outside the first surface of the surface layer. The light detector is in the detecting layer, and is configured to receive light and generate light data associated with the received light. Also, the contouring element can be configured to focus the light of the second type on the light detector.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate with a thermally adhering function imparted thereto, a circularly polarizing lens which is reinforced with a backup resin, and is distorted with difficulty, and circularly polarizing glasses. Also provided is a clockwise or counterclockwise circularly polarizing plate including a multilayered circularly polarizing plate having at least a phase difference functional part, a linear polarizing functional part, and a thermally adhering functional part which thermally adheres to a backup resin. The phase difference functional part is arranged on one side of the linear polarizing functional part, and the thermally adhering functional part is arranged on another side. Also provided is a clockwise or counterclockwise circularly polarizing lens, which is a bending-processed product of the above circularly polarizing plate.