CIRCULARLY POLARIZED LIGHT EXTRACTION OPTICAL ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE OPTICAL ELEMENT

摘要

Provided is a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element adapted to effectively prevent lowering of displaying quality that is brought about by the appearance of bright and dark stripes on the screen of a display even when the circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element is placed between circular or elliptical polarizers arranged in the cross nicol disposition. The circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element 10 includes a liquid crystal layer 12 having cholesteric regularity with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation. The liquid crystalline molecules on a surface 12A, which is one of the two main opposite surfaces 12A and 12B of the liquid crystal layer 12, are wholly oriented in substantially one direction (director Da) and the liquid crystalline molecules on the other main surface 12B of the liquid crystal layer 12 are also wholly oriented in substantially one direction (director Db). In the case where the liquid crystal layer 12 is made of a plurality of liquid crystal layers, it is preferable that the directors in planes in the vicinity of the interface of each two neighboring liquid crystal layers be substantially parallel to each other.