OPTICAL ELEMENT, POLARIZED PLANE LIGHT SOURCE USING ELEMENT, AND DISPLAY APPARATUS USING LIGHT SOURCE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical element that can output emission light stimulated by incident light, as linearly polarized light with a sufficient polarization degree through at least one of the top or back surfaces, that can be easily manufactured without causing appearance failure and that emits light with high color purity. SOLUTION: The optical element 10 is molded into a plate comprising a light transmitting resin 1 and minute area portions 2 which are dispersed and distributed in the transparent resin 1 and have birefringence different from that of the light transmitting resin 1, wherein the light transmitting resin 1 and/or the minute area portions 2 include at least one kind or more of rare earth complex 3 which emits light when excitation energy is externally applied. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI