| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a diffraction element having high diffraction efficiency and a simple structure, switching presence or absence of the diffraction state by applying an electric field as required, and produced inexpensively, and also to provide a method for manufacturing the element, and a polarization selecting device using the diffraction element. <P>SOLUTION: The diffraction element is characterized in that: a liquid crystal layer having uniform chemical composition and comprising a single phase is disposed between a pair of transparent substrates; the liquid crystal layer is composed of a first region having optical anisotropy and a second region having different optical anisotropy from that of the first region; and each region has an arrayed structure with a predetermined period. For example, a material having variable critical surface tension by addition of energy is used to form a surface layer having two surface patterns with different critical surface tensions on the surface of a transparent substrate. If necessary, a transparent electrode is disposed on each opposing surface of the pair of transparent substrates. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
