OPTICAL ELEMENT, COMBINER OPTICAL SYSTEM, AND IMAGE DISPLAY UNIT

摘要

A light-propagating optical element having its inner-surface reflection function and a see-through feature not damaged even if a member higher in refractive index than a surrounding medium is brought into in close contact with the surface thereof. The optical element is characterized by comprising a substrate through the inside of which a specified light flux can propagates, and an optical function unit that is provided in close contact with the surface of the substrate the propagating specified light flux can reaches, and has actions of reflecting the specified light flux and transmitting or interfering with or diffracting an external optical flux reaching the surface. This optical element, when used, can realize a combiner optical system that can easily mount functions such as a diopter correction, and an image display unit that can easily mount functions such as a diopter correction.