RETARDATION FILM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a retardation film oriented in a molecular level and having the optical retardation and an optical axis direction arbitrarily produced in a polymer material and a method for manufacturing the same by making ultra violet rays irradiate a film of a mixture of a photosensitive polymer and a low molecular weight compound. SOLUTION: The mixture of the photosensitive polymer and the low molecular weight compound is applied on a substrate and film-formed. Side chains in the photosensitive polymer is made anisotropically to photo-react so as to induce birefringence in the film by making the ultraviolet rays irradiate the film using a device consisting of an ultraviolet lamp and a power source or an optical element transforming natural light to polarized light (e.g. a Glan- Taylor prism). The optical axis is oriented with arbitrary inclination by carrying out the irradiation from a direction inclined with respect to the film surface. As a result, the retardation film having the optical axis set to a desired direction is provided.