LIGHT MODULATION ELEMENT AND MICROSCOPE DEVICE PROVIDED WITH LIGHT MODULATION ELEMENT

摘要

This light modulation element has: a first liquid crystal element, which has a first liquid crystal layer that contains liquid crystal molecules aligned in the first direction, and two first transparent electrodes that are disposed to face each other with the first liquid crystal layer therebetween, and which controls, by applying a voltage that corresponds to the predetermined wavelength to between the two first transparent electrodes, the phase of linearly polarized light having the predetermined wavelength, said linearly polarized light having been emitted from a light source and passing through the first liquid crystal layer; a polarization plate, which is disposed on the further toward the light source side than the first liquid crystal element, and which has a transmission axis in the first direction of the first liquid crystal element or in the direction that orthogonally intersects the first direction; and a rotating mechanism, which supports the first liquid crystal element and the polarization plate, and integrally rotates the first liquid crystal element and the polarization plate with the optical axis of the first liquid crystal element as the rotating axis.