| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical element in which a birefringence distribution having an arbitrary size and direction is generated in a light incident surface. <P>SOLUTION: The optical element contains a medium having a birefringence within the range of 0.001-0.7 with respect to light having a wavelength within the range of 400-1700 nm. A periodic structure having a periodic interval of a size 0.01-1 times as wide as the wavelength is provided on the surface of the optical element. The medium has a plurality of regions in which a size and a direction of the birefringence are different from each other. Preferably, an orientation direction and an order of molecules constituting the medium are different in these regions respectively. Also, the periodic structure is preferably formed by the technique of nanoimprinting. Preferably, the orientation direction and the order of the molecules are controlled by applying a polarized light irradiation to the medium and additionally applying heat treatment thereto. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
