JP3463846B2 - Polarizing element, method of manufacturing the same, and image display device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical element and a polarizing element used in an image display device capable of observing a three-dimensional image, for example. More specifically, a novel optical element having a plurality of areas for converting incident linearly polarized light into different elliptically polarized light, and a new optical element having a plurality of areas for converting incident light into linearly polarized light and then converting into different elliptically polarized light. Polarizing element and manufacturing method thereof. Further, the present invention has a configuration in which one of the optical element and the polarizing element is combined with a liquid crystal panel, and can normally observe a two-dimensional image, and an image that an observer can observe a three-dimensional image by wearing polarized glasses. Regarding display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an optical element for converting linearly polarized light into elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light is manufactured by using a material having optical anisotropy. As the material thereof, conventionally, a uniaxially stretched film made of a polymer resin, a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, or the like has been used.

By the way, when such a material is used, an optically anisotropic region cannot be partially provided. That is, since the former uniaxially stretched film is produced by uniformly stretching a polymer film, it is not possible to provide a region having optical anisotropy at an arbitrary position within the film plane. Further, the latter liquid crystal polymer layer requires an alignment layer prepared by rubbing a polyimide film or the like for uniaxial alignment, and in a normal rubbing process, an optically anisotropic region is provided at an arbitrary position. It was impossible.

Therefore, various methods have been proposed for partially forming a region having optical anisotropy. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-289374, by irradiating a polymer layer capable of photo-alignment with polarized light so that the alignment direction is partially different, a portion having a different alignment direction is formed in a liquid crystal layer in contact with the polymer layer. A method of forming is proposed.
According to this method, a plurality of retardation regions having different fast axis directions can be formed in the plane of the retardation film.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-72331 discloses that
There has been proposed a divided wave plate in which a polymer film having optical anisotropy is arranged on a substrate and is patterned in a strip shape by an etching process.

Further, US Pat. No. 5,537,194, 532
In Japanese Patent No. 7285, there is proposed a polarizing element in which a polarizing film is laminated on a patterned half-wave plate to provide regions having different polarization transmission axis directions in the plane.

By the way, various methods such as a sandblast method and a method using an excimer laser are known as a method for patterning. Among them, the sand blast method is a technique for blowing fine particles onto the sample surface by compressed air or nitrogen gas to scrape the sample surface, and in recent years, it has been used for fine processing of electronic parts and ceramic materials. In particular, attention has been paid to this as a technique for forming a partition wall provided in a partition of each pixel of a plasma display.

Further, the fine processing by the excimer laser is a technique of irradiating the surface of the sample with an excimer laser having a high energy so that the molecular bond of the sample is broken and disappeared. In recent years, it has been used for microfabrication of materials that are chemically difficult to process due to their high heat resistance and high solvent resistance, such as engineering plastic materials, and used for the molding of materials such as electronic parts and precision machine parts. Has been.

Now, regarding the above-mentioned video display device,
The history of attempts to reproduce three-dimensional images and three-dimensional images is very old, and there are various types of methods including laser holograms. However, as a stereoscopic image display system capable of displaying a moving image in full color of three primary colors and a system having a high degree of completion, the following three systems can be mentioned. Both methods are based on the principle that the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye are individually displayed, and the shift between the images for the right eye and the image for the left eye, that is, the binocular parallax are used to remind the observer of a sense of depth.

The first method uses a single display device to alternately display images for the left eye and images for the right eye in a time-division manner, and alternately wear glasses having an electric shutter function for the right eye and the left eye. It is a shutter glasses method that displays a stereoscopic image by opening and closing. This method can be applied to both projection display and direct-view display. This first method is advantageous in that a single display device can display a stereoscopic image.

In the second method, a display device displays a left-eye stripe image and a right-eye stripe image, and a lenticular lens plate or a slit plate installed on the front surface of the display device separates each image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image. It is a system without glasses to be assigned. According to this method, it is possible to observe a stereoscopic image without wearing special glasses or the like.

In the third method, the left-eye image and the right-eye image are linearly polarized light whose polarization directions form an angle of 90 ° with each other, and the observer wears polarized glasses to observe stereoscopic images. It is a method. In this method, two polarization projectors are used to overlap the images on the screen in the projection display, and images of two display devices are combined using a half mirror or a polarization mirror in the direct view display.

[0013]

As described above, the conventional optical element using a uniaxially stretched film is produced by uniformly stretching a polymer film in a certain direction. It was not possible to partially change the optical axis directions within.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-2893 mentioned above.
In the retardation film proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 74, a plurality of retardation regions having different optical axis directions are formed in the plane, so that linearly polarized light having one polarization transmission axis is incident on this retardation film. By doing so, it is possible to convert into elliptically polarized light different from each other in respective regions having different optical axis directions. In the present specification, “elliptically polarized light” includes its special form, circularly polarized light.

However, in the production of the retardation film proposed in JP-A-6-289374, in order to pattern a plurality of regions having different optical axis directions,
It is necessary to perform patterning twice for the required area, for example, if two types of areas are required. In addition, an alignment process is required to accurately form each region at a desired place, and the work is complicated. Furthermore, the heat resistance of the polymer layer is low and the orientation is disturbed by heat, so that it is not possible to produce a retardation film that can ensure sufficient reliability.

Furthermore, the split wave plate proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-72331 is used as an element for converting an optical signal in an optical communication system. This split wave plate is for converting the phase difference of linearly polarized light of a single wavelength by 90 °, and is the same as that of the first phase difference member having the first phase difference like the optical element of the present invention described later. A structure in which the slow axis direction and the slow axis direction of the second phase difference member having the second phase difference are different from each other, or the first phase difference member is laminated.
This is different from the configuration in which the fast axis direction of the phase difference member and the fast axis direction of the second phase difference member are different from each other and stacked.

US Pat. Nos. 5,537,194 and 5,327
The polarizing element proposed in Japanese Patent No. 285 is one in which a linear polarizing plate or a circular polarizing plate is laminated on a patterned half-wave plate, and the first phase difference member and the second phase difference of the present invention are provided. This is different from the one in which a linear polarizing plate is laminated on an optical element in which a member is laminated.

In addition, a polarized light obtained by patterning a first retardation member composed of a half-wave plate and laminating a second retardation member composed of a quarter-wave plate on a polarizing element, which is one embodiment of the present invention. For the device, the above-mentioned US Pat.
In Japanese Patent No. 7285, there is proposed a polarizing element in which a ½ wavelength plate is patterned on a circularly polarizing plate which is one form of the polarizing element. The following problems occur when patterning a half-wave plate on a quarter-wave plate.

Generally, a birefringent material (such as a uniaxially stretched polymer film or a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer) constituting a ½ wavelength plate or a ¼ wavelength plate has a different wavelength dispersion of retardation depending on the material. . In order to realize a three-dimensional display, it is not possible to expect a realistic image unless the light emitted from both the left and right pixels has the same color tone. Normally, if the half-wave plate and the quarter-wave plate are made of the same material, an observer can observe an image without a color tone shift between the left and right sides. US Pat. No. 5,537,194,
In Japanese Patent No. 5327285, since the ½ wavelength plate is patterned on the ¼ wavelength plate of the circularly polarizing plate, the ¼ wavelength plate is formed on the ¼ wavelength plate unless a protective layer against etching is provided.
It is impossible and inefficient to pattern the half-wave plate without impairing the optical characteristics of the wave plate.

Also, a structure has been proposed in which a half-wave plate is patterned on a transparent substrate, and a circularly polarizing plate is laminated thereon, but in this structure, the transparent substrate is always present on the light emitting side. . Since this transparent substrate exists on the light emitting side, the following problems occur.

Generally, in a three-dimensional image, a powerful display enhances the sense of presence, but in order to perform a powerful display, it is necessary to upsize the display.
However, in a large-sized display, the glass substrate existing as the transparent substrate also becomes large, which greatly increases the weight of the display and greatly impairs the characteristic of the liquid crystal display that it is lightweight. Further, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the glass substrate in order to prevent the display from cracking even if the display is upsized, and even with a glass substrate, a reduction in the amount of transmitted light cannot be denied. For this reason,
The display was dark and the basic display performance as a display was poor.

On the other hand, when a plastic substrate is used as the transparent substrate in order to reduce the weight of the display, the circular polarization generated by the polarizing element is caused by the birefringence that the plastic substrate basically has. Is converted into elliptically polarized light that does not meet the purpose. Therefore, when applied to a three-dimensional image display device, it causes crosstalk, for example, the right-eye signal is observed even with the left eye.

On the other hand, the first method out of the three methods for obtaining a stereoscopic image described above has an advantage that a stereoscopic image can be displayed by a single display device. However, eyeglasses having an electric shutter function, such as liquid crystal shutter eyeglasses, have to be attached, which causes the following problems. That is, such spectacles are heavy and fatigue due to long-term use is inevitable. Further, since the spectacles having such a shutter function are expensive, and one spectacle is required for each person, the cost when the observer purchases only the number of persons is very high.

Next, the above-mentioned second method is characterized in that the observer can observe a stereoscopic image without wearing special glasses or the like. However, this method without glasses
There is a problem that the resolution in the vertical direction is reduced to half when displaying a two-dimensional image. The reason will be described with reference to FIG. 28 in the case of using a lenticular lens.

In the system without glasses, as shown in FIG.
The light emitted from the pixel 901 (l) for the left eye is observed by the observer 90.
7 is controlled by the lenticular lens plate 905 having the cylindrical lens 906 so that the light emitted from the right-eye pixel 901 (r) is observed by the observer 907's right eye. is doing.
The light propagating direction controlled in this way is 3
Since the same applies to a three-dimensional image, in the case of a two-dimensional image that is observed without distinguishing a right-eye image and a left-eye image, the same image is obtained by the left-eye pixel 901 (l) and the right-eye pixel 901 (r). Must be displayed. That is, even in the case of a two-dimensional image, the function of one pixel is fulfilled by the two left and right pixels, and the resolution is reduced to 1/2. Generally, in the method without glasses, the lenticular lens is formed in the vertical direction in order to distribute the light to the left and right eyes, so that the vertical resolution is reduced to 1/2. In FIG. 28, 902 is a black matrix, 903 is a counter substrate, and 904 is a polarizing film.

Finally, the stereoscopic image obtained by the above-mentioned third method has no flicker, and an observer can observe the stereoscopic image by wearing very lightweight and inexpensive polarizing glasses.
However, since two images with different polarization transmission axes are always displayed at the same time as the left-eye image and the right-eye image, two display devices and a projection device are required, which makes the device expensive and unsuitable for home use. There is a problem.

In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-58
There is a method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 184929. In this method, a mosaic polarization layer whose polarization transmission axes are orthogonal to each other between adjacent pixels is brought into close contact with the front surface of one display device,
The viewer wears polarized glasses so that a stereoscopic image can be observed. This will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 29. The right-eye pixel 3005 and the left-eye pixel 300
A polarizing plate having mosaic layers of polarizing layers 3002a and 3002b whose polarization transmission axes are orthogonal to each other is arranged on the front surface of the CRT to which 7 and 7 are assigned. The observer can see that the polarization transmission axes of the polarizing plates 3003a and 303 are different from each other.
A stereoscopic image can be observed by wearing polarizing glasses 3003 having 03b and observing the image displayed on the CRT. According to this method, a large number of observers can observe a stereoscopic image by wearing polarized glasses. In FIG. 29, W is a vertical stereoscopic viewable zone, 3004 is a transparent substrate, and 3006 is a black matrix.

However, in order to observe a stereoscopic image by this method, the right-eye polarization plate 30 arranged in the right-eye pixel 3005.
Polarization transmission axis of 02b and polarizing glasses 300 worn by an observer
3, the polarization transmission axis of the right-eye polarization plate 3003b exactly matches, and the polarization transmission axis of the left-eye polarization plate 3002a arranged in the left-eye pixel 3007 and the left-eye polarization of the polarization glasses 3003 worn by the observer. It is necessary to exactly match the polarization transmission axis of the plate 3003a. If they do not match exactly, the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye are mixedly observed in each eye, and stereoscopic vision becomes impossible.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has an optical element having two types of regions for converting incident linearly polarized light into elliptically polarized light different from each other, and incident light. A polarizing element having two types of regions for converting linearly polarized light into elliptically polarized light different from each other,
And it aims at providing those manufacturing methods.

Further, according to the present invention, a large number of observers wearing polarized glasses can observe a three-dimensional image regardless of the positions of the observers and the angles of their faces, and when the observers do not wear polarized glasses, It is an object of the present invention to provide a video display device that can display a two-dimensional image without lowering the resolution than the number of pixels on a liquid crystal panel and can be used for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional images.

[0031]

The polarizing element according to the present invention is
After the emitted light is linearly polarized, the ellipses with different polarities are
Circularly polarized light or polarized light having two types of regions for conversion into circularly polarized light
In the optical element, a first retardation member having a first retardation provided in one of the two types of regions, and the one region and the first retardation member are provided. An optical element provided with a second retardation member having a second retardation laminated over the other region not present ,
The incident light is linearly polarized on the side of the first phase difference member of the element.
A linear polarization member for
It is provided for the purpose of achieving the above object.

If the first retardation member of the optical element is 1 /
2 is a wavelength plate.

The second retardation member of the optical element is 1 /
4 is the wavelength plate.

The fast axis direction of the first retardation member and the fast axis direction of the second retardation member of the optical element are different from each other, or the slow axis direction of the first retardation member is different from the fast axis direction. The direction of the slow axis of the second retardation member is different .

The fast axis direction of the first retardation member and the fast axis direction of the second retardation member of the optical element are orthogonal to each other,
Alternatively, the slow axis direction of the first retardation member and the slow axis direction of the second retardation member are orthogonal to each other .

[0036] said first phase difference member and the second phase difference member of the optical element are laminated via an adhesive layer or a planarization layer.

At least one of the first retardation member and the second retardation member of the optical element is a uniaxially stretched polymer film composed of a single layer or a plurality of layers or a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer composed of a single layer or a plurality of layers. or layer
Consists of

[0038]

In the polarizing element of the present invention, the linearly polarizing member and the first retardation member may be laminated via an adhesive layer or a flattening layer.

The manufacturing method of the polarizing element of the present invention is as described above.
A method of manufacturing a polarizing element , comprising:
On the linearly polarizing member for making the linearly polarized light,
Providing the first retardation member in one of the regions
And on the side of the first retardation member opposite to the linear polarization member,
The one region and the first retardation member are not provided.
Step of stacking the second retardation member over the other region
Including and When forming the first retardation member, the first
After forming the retardation member forming film, the first retardation member forming film is wet-etched, dry-etched,
It is patterned by excimer laser irradiation or sandblasting to form the first retardation member.

[0041] When forming the first retardation member, straight
After forming an alignment layer having an alignment control force in one region of the linear polarization member, a liquid crystal polymer layer consisting of a single layer or a plurality of layers is provided on the alignment layer having the alignment control force to form the liquid crystal polymer.
Layer forms the first retardation member.

[0042] When forming the orientation layer with the alignment regulating force, to form an alignment layer forming film, subjected to rubbing treatment over a portion of the alignment layer forming film with a photosensitive resin, photosensitive resin the uncovered part, some of the alignment regulating force orientation
Layer .

[0043] When forming the orientation layer with the alignment regulating force, to form an alignment layer forming film, after the rubbing treatment on the entire surface of the alignment layer forming film, some of the alignment layer forming film By irradiating the film with far-ultraviolet rays to reduce the alignment regulating force, the film portion not irradiated with far-ultraviolet rays is aligned with the alignment regulating force.
Layer .

[0044]

[0045]

The image display device of the present invention, a liquid crystal panel which sandwiches liquid crystal material between a pair of substrates, the side opposite to the liquid crystal material side or the liquid crystal material in one substrate of the pair of substrates, according to claim 1 The polarizing element according to any one of 1 to 8 is disposed , and the first position of the optical element provided in the polarizing element.
The phase difference member and the second phase difference member are pixels of the display panel.
To be arranged in stripes corresponding to the width of
Therefore, it has a configuration that enables a video display for two-dimensional or for three-dimensional.

In the image display device of the present invention, the microlens array is arranged on the liquid crystal material side of the corresponding optical element or polarizing element provided on the image display device or on the side opposite to the liquid crystal material. You can

The operation of the present invention will be described below.

In the optical element of the present invention, the first retardation member is provided once by providing the second retardation member over the region where the first retardation member is provided and the region where it is not provided. Only by patterning, different retardation regions can be formed in the two regions. That is, it is possible to form two different types of retardation regions by laminating two types of retardation members, one of which is patterned and the other of which is not patterned. In addition, alignment becomes unnecessary in each region, and it becomes unnecessary to provide a protective film against etching on the second retardation member.

When the first retardation member is a half-wave plate, the incident linearly polarized light is polarized in one region where the half-wave plate is formed and the other region where it is not formed. Different elliptically polarized light can be converted.

When the phase difference member is a quarter-wave plate, incident linearly polarized light can be converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities, so that a circularly polarizing element can be obtained.

The first retardation member and the second retardation member may be laminated via an adhesive layer or a flattening layer, if necessary.

The fast axis direction of the first retardation member is different from the fast axis direction of the second retardation member, or the slow axis direction of the first retardation member and the second retardation member are different from each other. If the direction of the slow axis is different, the incident linearly polarized light is converted into two different types of elliptically polarized light having an arbitrary ellipticity and an arbitrary major / short axis direction of the elliptically polarized light in one region and the other region. can do.

Further, the fast axis direction of the first retardation member and the fast axis direction of the second retardation member are made orthogonal to each other, or the slow axis direction of the first retardation member and the second position. When the slow axis direction of the phase difference member is made orthogonal to each other, the incident linearly polarized light can be converted into elliptically polarized light in which the major and minor axis directions of the elliptically polarized light are the same or orthogonal in one region and the other region at an arbitrary ellipticity. You can

When a monolayer uniaxially stretched polymer film is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member,
A uniform retardation region or polarization region can be easily formed.
In addition, since the liquid crystal material generally has a larger refractive index anisotropy (Δn) than that of the uniaxially stretched polymer film, a single uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member. By doing so, it is possible to make the optical element and the polarizing element thinner. Further, when a laminate of a plurality of uniaxially stretched polymer film layers or a laminate of a plurality of uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layers is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member, the wavelength dispersion property of the refractive index is used. Can be reduced, so it is possible to use a half-wave plate or a quarter wave in a wide band.
It can function as a wave plate.

In the polarizing element of the present invention, since the linear polarizing member is provided on the first phase difference member side of the optical element of the present invention, the incident light is linearly polarized by the linear polarizing member, After that, it is converted into two types of elliptically polarized light having different polarities by the optical element. This polarizing element is produced by arranging and patterning a first retardation member on a linear polarizing member, and laminating a second retardation member on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the first retardation member thereon. Therefore, the patterning for forming the plurality of regions for converting the incident light into the elliptically polarized light having different polarities only needs to be performed once for the first retardation member, and the alignment of each region is not necessary. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a transparent substrate on the outgoing light side, the weight of the image display device does not increase unlike the case where a glass substrate is used, and the display brightness does not decrease.
In addition, undesired elliptically polarized light as in the case of using a plastic substrate does not occur. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to pattern the first retardation member on the second retardation member,
It is not necessary to provide a protective layer or the like for etching on the retardation member.

The first phase difference member and the linear polarization member are
You may laminate | stack via an adhesive layer or a planarization layer as needed.

For the first retardation member, the first retardation member forming film is formed by a wet etching method, a dry etching method,
It may be formed by patterning using excimer laser irradiation or a sandblast method. Further, the liquid crystal polymer layer may be uniaxially aligned by patterning the alignment layer forming film and forming a single liquid crystal polymer layer or a plurality of liquid crystal polymer layers laminated thereon. The alignment layer may be formed by covering a part of the alignment layer forming film with a photosensitive resin and rubbing it to give an alignment regulating force, and after performing the rubbing treatment on the entire surface of the alignment layer forming film. Alternatively, it may be performed by irradiating a part thereof with deep ultraviolet rays to reduce the alignment regulating force.

In the image display device of the present invention, by combining the optical element of the present invention or the polarizing element of the present invention with a liquid crystal panel, the light emitted from the pixels of the liquid crystal panel is divided into two types of regions or polarized light of the optical element. It is converted into elliptically polarized light having different polarities depending on the two types of regions of the element, for example, left-eye circularly polarized light and right-eye circularly polarized light.

In particular, when the optical element of the present invention or the polarizing element of the present invention is arranged inside the liquid crystal panel (the side surfaces of the liquid crystal material of the pair of substrates), the retardation region of the optical element and the liquid crystal layer are close to each other or the polarized light is polarized. Since the retardation region of the element and the liquid crystal layer are close to each other, the display parallax is reduced. Further, by using the microlens array, the parallax of display can be reduced even when the optical element or the polarizing element of the present invention is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel (on the side opposite to the liquid crystal material of the pair of substrates).

[0061]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the optical element of the present invention. This optical element comprises a half-wave plate 2 as a first retardation member having a first retardation on a substrate 1.
Are patterned in a stripe shape, and a quarter-wave plate 3 as a second retardation member having a second retardation is laminated on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the half-wave plate 2 thereon.

The optical element having this structure can be manufactured, for example, as shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the half-wave plate 12 is arranged on the substrate 1. The substrate 1 may be made of a transparent material such as glass or plastic. Further, the substrate 1 may be removed after the production of the optical element, and in that case, an opaque substrate can be used.

As the ½ wavelength plate 12, a uniaxially stretched polymer film, a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer or the like can be used. When the half-wave plate 12 is a uniaxially stretched polymer film, it may be attached onto the substrate 1 with an adhesive or may be attached with a photocurable resin or the like. Also, 1 /
When the two-wave plate 12 is a uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer, an alignment layer (not shown) made of polyimide or the like is formed on the substrate 1 by a spin coating method, a roll coating method, a printing method, or the like, If necessary, heat treatment is carried out, and rubbing treatment using a nylon cloth or the like or irradiation with light such as ultraviolet rays or far ultraviolet rays is carried out to carry out uniaxial orientation treatment. By applying a polymerizable liquid crystal material on the alignment layer having the alignment controlling force and performing heat treatment or light irradiation treatment as necessary, the liquid crystal polymer is aligned according to the alignment state of the alignment layer, and the uniaxial alignment liquid crystal is formed. A polymer layer is obtained.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the half wave plate 12 is patterned to form the striped half wave plate 2. At this time, 1/2 of the half wave plate 12
The half-wave plate 2 may be formed by covering the portion to be left as the wave plate 2 with a resist material and patterning it by a wet etching method or a dry etching method. Further, as the uniaxially stretched polymer film, a photosensitive film having birefringence described in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-224153 may be used. At this time, since the uniaxially stretched polymer film itself has photosensitivity, it suffices to irradiate only the portion to be left as the half-wave plate 2 with light through the photomask, and the step of forming a pattern of a resist material is unnecessary. become,
It is very efficient. Further, when the half-wave plate 2 is formed by the remaining portion scraped off from the half-wave plate 12, the region of the half-wave plate 12 to be shaved may be irradiated with an excimer laser for patterning. . Furthermore, 1
A pattern may be patterned by a sand blast method in which a portion of the 1/2 wave plate 12 to be left as the 1/2 wave plate 2 is covered with a resist material and an abrasive such as alumina fine powder is sprayed on the surface of the 1/2 wave plate 12. . Further, by using an alignment layer for aligning the liquid crystal polymer layer, 1 /
You may make it form a two-wave plate.

When the half-wave plate is formed by using the alignment layer, the alignment layer is patterned into a predetermined shape and the liquid crystal polymer layer is laminated thereon, so that the liquid crystal polymer layer portion on the alignment layer is uniaxial. Since it is aligned and not uniaxially aligned in other portions, the liquid crystal polymer layer portion on the alignment layer can be used as a patterned half-wave plate. The patterning of the alignment layer may be performed by a wet etching method, a dry etching method, excimer laser irradiation, or a sandblast method. Further, patterning may be performed by covering a part of the alignment layer with a photosensitive resin and rubbing it. After rubbing the entire surface of the alignment layer, a part of the alignment layer is irradiated with deep ultraviolet rays to adjust the alignment control force. Patterning may be performed by lowering.

The shape of the half-wave plate 2 is not limited to the stripe shape, but may be any shape. The shape can be easily changed, for example, by changing the shape of the photomask for patterning the resist material or the scanning method of the excimer laser.

After that, as shown in FIG. 2C, the quarter-wave plate 3 is laminated on the patterned half-wave plate 2. For the quarter-wave plate 3, a uniaxially stretched polymer film, a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, or the like can be used.
When the quarter-wave plate 3 is a uniaxially stretched polymer film, it may be attached with an adhesive or may be attached with a photocurable resin or the like. When the quarter-wave plate 3 is a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, an orientation layer (not shown) made of polyimide or the like is formed on the substrate 1 by spin coating, roll coating, printing or the like. Formed, heat-treated as needed, rubbing treatment using nylon cloth,
Alternatively, the uniaxial orientation treatment is performed by irradiating light such as ultraviolet rays or far ultraviolet rays. By applying a polymerizable liquid crystal material on the alignment layer and performing heat treatment or light irradiation treatment as necessary, the liquid crystal polymer is aligned according to the alignment state of the alignment layer, and a uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer is obtained. . The optical element is completed by the above.

In the optical element thus obtained, the linearly polarized light that has entered the region where the half-wave plate 2 is provided and the region where the half-wave plate 2 is not provided is emitted from each region as elliptically polarized light having different polarities. To be done.

As the second retardation member, a retardation member having an arbitrary retardation can be used.
When a quarter-wave plate is used as the retardation member, an optical element that converts incident linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light can be obtained.

If the ½ wave plate 2 and the ¼ wave plate 3 are arranged so that their slow axis directions or fast axis directions are orthogonal to each other, two types of incident linearly polarized light having different polarities are provided. Elliptically polarized light or two types of circularly polarized light having different polarities. In this case, the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of both does not have to be exactly orthogonal to each other, and the slow axis direction of the ¼ wavelength plate 3 is relative to the slow axis direction of the ½ wavelength plate 2. Is 90 ° ±
10 ° or 1 with respect to the fast axis direction of the half-wave plate 2
It suffices if the fast axis direction of the quarter wave plate 3 is 90 ° ± 10 °.

Before stacking the quarter-wave plate 3, 1
A transparent flattening film (not shown) may be formed to flatten the surface of the / 2 wave plate 2. Even when this flattening film is formed, the quarter-wave plate 3 may be adhered with an adhesive, if necessary, or with a photocurable resin or the like.

Further, in general, the uniaxially stretched polymer film and the uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer have wavelength dispersibility in refractive index and do not function as a ½ wavelength plate or a ¼ wavelength plate in the entire visible light region. There are cases. In such cases,
A broadband wavelength plate can be obtained by laminating a plurality of uniaxially stretched polymer films or uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layers by shifting the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of each layer. It can function as a quarter-wave plate. In such a wide-band wave plate, the direction of the slow axis or the fast axis of the half-wave plate 2 or the quarter-wave plate 3 cannot be uniquely determined. And the incident direction of the polarized light for obtaining the right elliptically polarized light or the incident direction of the polarized light for obtaining the left elliptically polarized light in the quarter-wave plate 3 are arranged so as to coincide with each other. Good. In this case, the emission direction of the linearly polarized light in the half-wave plate 2 and the incident direction of the polarized light in the quarter-wave plate 3 for obtaining the right elliptical polarized light or the incident direction of the polarized light for obtaining the left elliptical polarized light are strictly Does not have to coincide with, and may deviate by ± 10 °.

Next, the principle of converting the linearly polarized light incident on the thus constructed optical element of the present invention into elliptically polarized light having different polarities or circular polarized light having different polarities will be described.

The first retardation member and the second retardation member constituting the optical element of the present invention are obtained by uniaxially stretching an organic polymer material or by providing a liquid crystal polymer layer on the alignment layer and uniaxially aligning the liquid crystal polymer layer. It consists of a birefringent film having a retardation. In this birefringent film, the direction in which the organic polymer material is uniaxially stretched, or the direction parallel to the direction in which the liquid crystal polymer layer is uniaxially oriented is referred to as a slow axis or a fast axis, and these are collectively referred to as Is referred to as the optical axis direction.

FIG. 3 shows a change in polarization state when linearly polarized light polarized in the angle θ direction with respect to the optical axis direction of the birefringent film enters the birefringent film.

First, when the electric field component of the incident linearly polarized light is divided into a component parallel to the optical axis direction of the birefringent film and a component perpendicular thereto, each velocity component in the birefringent film is

[0079]

[Equation 1]

It is represented by Here, n ∥ is the refractive index in the direction parallel to the optical axis direction,

[0081]

[Equation 2]

Is the refractive index in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

[0083]

[Equation 3]

It is Also,

[0085]

[Equation 4]

It is

Therefore, the speed of light in the z direction shown in FIG.
The electric field component in the direction parallel to the slow axis direction of the birefringent film becomes slower than the electric field component in the direction perpendicular to the slow axis direction. As a result, the electric field strength does not change in the same way in the x and y directions shown in FIG. 3, and the incident linearly polarized light changes to elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light.

For example, when the phase difference of the birefringent film is set to ¼ wavelength and linearly polarized light polarized in the angle direction of θ = 45 ° with respect to the optical axis direction is incident,
The polarization state changes to left-handed (counterclockwise) circularly polarized light. When the phase difference of the birefringent film is set to 1/4 wavelength and linearly polarized light polarized in the angle direction of θ = -45 ° with respect to the optical axis direction is incident, the polarization state is right. Circular (clockwise) circularly polarized light, that is, counterclockwise circularly polarized light when θ = 45 °, changes to circularly polarized light having a different polarity.

When the retardation of the birefringent film is set to ½ wavelength, the incident linearly polarized light is changed to linearly polarized light in a direction deviated by an angle 2θ. For example, when θ = 45 °, the incident linearly polarized light changes into linearly polarized light deviated by 2θ = 90 °, and becomes linearly polarized light which is polarized in a direction orthogonal to the incident linearly polarized light.

Further, when the retardation of the birefringent film is set to a wavelength other than ¼ wavelength and ½ wavelength, the incident linearly polarized light is converted into elliptically polarized light.

That is, when the ½ wavelength plate is provided in one of the two types of regions as in the optical element of the present invention, the angle of θ is formed with respect to the optical axis direction of the ½ wavelength plate. The incident linearly polarized light is emitted as linearly polarized light whose polarization directions are different by 2θ between the ½ wavelength plate formation region and the non-waveform plate formation region,
Two types of linearly polarized light having different polarities can be obtained. Where θ
= 45 °, the two types of emitted linearly polarized light have different polarization directions by 90 °.

A quarter-wave plate is provided as a second retardation member over the region where the half-wave plate is provided and the region where the half-wave plate is not provided.
When the optical axis direction of the quarter wavelength plate is made orthogonal to each other, the linearly polarized light emitted from the formation region of the half wavelength plate forms an angle of, for example, 45 ° with the optical axis direction of the quarter wavelength plate and the quarter wavelength plate. The linearly polarized light which is incident on the ½ wavelength plate and is emitted from the non-formed area of the ½ wavelength plate is incident on the ¼ wavelength plate at an angle of, for example, −45 ° with the optical axis direction of the ¼ wavelength. Therefore, when linearly polarized light having one polarization direction is incident on this optical element, it is converted into two types of circularly polarized light having different polarities in the formation region and the non-formation region of the ½ wavelength plate. Further, when a second retardation member having a retardation other than ½ wavelength and ¼ wavelength is used and the optical axis directions of the second retardation member and the first retardation member are orthogonal to each other, When linearly polarized light having a polarization direction is incident on the optical element, it is converted into two types of elliptically polarized light having different polarities in the formation region and the non-formation region of the first retardation member.

As described above, when linearly polarized light is incident on the optical element of the present invention, it is converted into elliptically polarized light having different polarities or circular polarized light having different polarities.

In the following Embodiments 1 to 4, optical elements using a uniaxially stretched polymer film as the first retardation member and the second retardation member will be described.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an optical element of the first embodiment.

In this optical element, a half-wave plate 2 as a first retardation member is patterned in a stripe pattern on a substrate 1. The surface of the half-wave plate 2 is flattened by the flattening layer 4, and the quarter-wave plate 3 as the second retardation member is laminated on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the half-wave plate 2 thereon. Has been done.

A method of manufacturing this optical element will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 5A, the half-wave plate 12 is arranged on the substrate 1. Here, SEH-460270 (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) was arranged as a half-wave plate 12 on a 7059 glass (manufactured by Corning) substrate 1. Since the half-wave plate 12 is provided with an adhesive layer in advance, it was attached onto the glass substrate 1.

Then, the half-wave plate 2 is patterned as shown in FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 5B, a positive type resist material TFR-B3 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was applied as a resist layer 15 on the half-wave plate 12 by spin coating. Then, it heated for 30 minutes in a 80 degreeC thermostat. Next, the resist layer 15 was exposed by irradiating ultraviolet rays through a photomask (not shown). The photomask has a light-shielding portion width of 300 μm and a transmission portion width of 300 μm.
A stripe pattern of μm was used, and the ultraviolet ray was used as a parallel light source using a high pressure mercury lamp, and the irradiation amount was 600 mJ / cm ² . Subsequently, the resist pattern 5 as shown in FIG. 5 (c) was formed by developing with a developing solution DE-3 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and then heated in a constant temperature bath at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes. .

Next, a solvent in which dichloroethane and n-hexane were mixed at a volume ratio of 1: 2 was used as an etching solution, and the half-wave plate 1 was used with the resist pattern 5 as a mask.
2 was etched. At this time, the etching solution is 5
The half-wave plate 12 was shaken in the etching solution while being kept at 0 ° C. After that, the resist pattern 5 was peeled off using a 2% NaOH solution to obtain a ½ wavelength plate 2 patterned in a stripe shape as shown in FIG. 5D.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5F, a flattening layer 4 for flattening the surface of the patterned half-wave plate 2 is formed. Here, an ultraviolet curable resin, World Rock X-8720 (manufactured by Kyoritsu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) was applied by a screen printing method and was irradiated with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet light source used is a high-pressure mercury lamp, and the irradiation dose is 18
It was set to 00 mJ / cm ² . Then, it heated for 10 minutes in a 100 degreeC thermostat.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5G, SEH-46013 which is the second retardation member (1/4 wavelength plate) 3 is used.
5 (Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) was laminated. Since the quarter-wave plate was provided with an adhesive layer in advance, it was attached on the flattening layer 4. At this time, the slow axis direction of the half-wave plate 2 as the first retardation member and the slow axis direction of the quarter-wave plate as the retardation member 3 as the second retardation member are orthogonal to each other. Placed in.

In the optical element of Embodiment 1 thus manufactured, when linearly polarized light is made incident on the area where the half-wave plate 2 is provided and the area where the half-wave plate 2 is not provided, it is emitted from each area. It was possible to change the polarity of circularly polarized light.

The substrate 1 may be removed after the optical element is manufactured. This also applies to the following embodiments.

(Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 2, a wide band 1 in which two uniaxially stretched polymer films are laminated on a quarter wave plate 3 as a second retardation member while making the slow axis direction different.
/ 4 wavelength plate (manufactured by Nitto Denko Corp.), a broadband ½ wavelength obtained by laminating two uniaxially stretched polymer films on the ½ wavelength plate 2 as the first retardation member with different slow axis directions. An optical element was produced in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 except that a plate (manufactured by Nitto Denko Corporation) was used. At this time, the emission direction of the linearly polarized light in the ½ wavelength plate 2 and the incident direction of the polarized light for obtaining the left circularly polarized light in the ¼ wavelength plate 3 were matched.

The optical element of the second embodiment has little wavelength dispersion of the refractive index in the half-wave plate and the quarter-wave plate, and can function as a quarter-wave plate in a wide wavelength range.

(Third Embodiment) In the third embodiment, the surface of the half-wave plate is irradiated with an excimer laser so that the irradiation part 1 is irradiated.
Patterning was performed by scraping off the / 2 wavelength plate.

A method of manufacturing this optical element will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the half-wave plate 12 was placed on the substrate 1. This step was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the surface of the half-wave plate 12 is irradiated with an excimer laser to pattern the half-wave plate 2 as shown in FIG. 6C. did. LPX as the excimer laser at this time
(Manufactured by Lambda Physics Co., Ltd.), and the irradiation beam size was adjusted by a slit and a lens to be 20 mm × 300 μm. Irradiation energy is 200 mJ / cm
² and the half-wave plate 12 is 600 on the XY stage.
A stripe-shaped pattern was formed by irradiating laser light while shifting by μm.

Subsequently, a flattening layer 4 was formed as shown in FIG. 6 (d), and a quarter wave plate 3 as a second retardation member was laminated as shown in FIG. 6 (e). This step was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. As described above, the optical element of Embodiment 3 was obtained.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the fourth embodiment, patterning is performed by spraying an abrasive consisting of alumina fine particles onto the surface of the half-wave plate and scraping off the half-wave plate at the part where the fine particles hit. It was

A method of manufacturing this optical element will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 7A, the ½ wavelength plate 12 was placed on the substrate 1. This step was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

Next, the half-wave plate 2 was patterned as shown in FIGS. 7 (b) to 7 (f). That is, FIG.
As shown in (b), a resist film OSBR (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) is laminated as a resist layer 15 on the half-wave plate 12, and a photolithography process is carried out.
The width of the resist forming portion as shown in FIG.
m, and a resist pattern 5 having a width of 300 μm in the non-resist portion was formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7D, a 1/2 wave plate 2 as shown in FIG. 7E was patterned by injecting alumina fine particles with a sandblasting device. As the sandblasting device at this time, a device as shown in FIG. 8 was used. This sandblasting device
The tank A is filled with the abrasive D, and the tank A and the chamber B are connected by a single pipe E. By blowing air into the pipe E, the abrasive D is blown out from the nozzle C provided in the chamber B. In addition, G in FIG. 8 is a dust tank. The sample to be ground is arranged on the XY stage F in the chamber B, and moves under the nozzle C in the horizontal direction. Using such a sandblasting device, Fujirando SB-4 (manufactured by Fuji Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) as an abrasive
While moving the XY stage F on which the substrate having the half-wave plate 12 is mounted is moved in the horizontal direction, the air pressure is 0.5 kg / cm ² from the nozzle C to the surface of the half-wave plate 12. The abrasive D was sprayed to scrape off the half-wave plate 12 in the non-formed portion of the resist pattern 5. Then, the resist pattern 5 was peeled off to obtain a half-wave plate 2 patterned in a stripe shape as shown in FIG.

Subsequently, a flattening layer 4 was formed as shown in FIG. 7 (g), and a quarter wave plate 3 as a second retardation member was laminated as shown in FIG. 7 (h). This step was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The optical element of Embodiment 4 was obtained as described above.

In the following Embodiments 5 to 8, optical elements using uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layers as the first retardation member and the second retardation member will be described.

(Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an optical element of the fifth embodiment.

This optical element comprises an alignment layer 2a on a substrate 1.
And the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b were patterned in a stripe shape, and the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b portion was patterned 1
It is a half wave plate 2. The surface of the half-wave plate 2 is flattened by the flattening layer 4, and the alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b are laminated on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the half-wave plate 2 to form a second layer. The quarter-wave plate 3 serves as a phase difference member.

FIG. 10 shows the manufacturing method of this optical element.
Follow the instructions below.

First, as shown in FIG. 10A, the substrate 1
A film 12a for forming an alignment layer was formed on the top and a rubbing treatment was performed. Here, AL4552 (manufactured by Nippon Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd.) is applied as a film 12a for forming an alignment layer on a 7059 glass (manufactured by Corning) substrate 1 by a spin coating method, and 180 ° C.
It was baked for 2 hours in the constant temperature bath. Next, the orientation layer forming film 12a was uniaxially rubbed with a nylon cloth to form an orientation layer 22a.

Next, on the alignment layer 22a, a mixture (Δn = 0.142) in which 50% by weight of the polymerizable liquid crystal materials represented by the following chemical formulas (1) and (2) were mixed was used as a photopolymerization initiator. Irgacure 651 (manufactured by Ciba Geigy) was added by 0.5 wt% by spin coating (1
It is applied at 200 rpm for 15 seconds and ultraviolet rays (irradiation amount:
120 mJ / cm ² , light source: high-pressure mercury lamp) to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal material, and
A liquid crystal polymer layer 12b having a thickness of 2 μm as shown in (b)
Got

[0125]

[Chemical 1]

[0126]

[Chemical 2]

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10C, the surfaces of the alignment layer 22a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 12b are irradiated with an excimer laser, so that the patterned alignment layer 2a as shown in FIG. And the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b was obtained. L as an excimer laser at this time
PX200 (manufactured by Lambda Physics) is used, and the irradiation beam size is 20 mm × 30 depending on the slit and the lens.
It was adjusted to be 0 μm. Irradiation energy is 200
A stripe pattern was formed by irradiating with laser light while shifting the alignment layer 12a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 12b by 600 μm on the XY stage at mJ / cm ² . Patterned by the above 1/2
Wave plate 2 was obtained.

After that, as shown in FIG. 10E, the flattening layer 4 was formed. This step was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10 (f), an alignment layer 3a was formed. Here, AL45 is used as the alignment layer 3a.
52 (manufactured by Japan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd.) is applied and baked, and then the alignment layer 2
A rubbing treatment was carried out in a uniaxial direction in a direction orthogonal to a.

Then, on the alignment layer 3a, a mixture (Δn = 0.142) in which the polymerizable liquid crystal materials represented by the chemical formulas (1) and (2) are mixed by 50% by weight.
A mixture of 0.5% by weight of Irgacure 651 (manufactured by Ciba Geigy) as a photopolymerization initiator was applied by a spin coating method (2000 rpm, 10 seconds) to ultraviolet rays (irradiation amount: 120 mJ / cm ² , light source: high pressure mercury). Lamp) to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal material.
A liquid crystal polymer layer 3b having a thickness of 1 μm as shown in (g) was obtained.

In the optical element of Embodiment 5 thus produced, when linearly polarized light is made incident on the region where the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b is provided and the region where the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b is not provided, the circle emitted from each region is emitted. It was possible to make the polarities of polarized light different.

(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing an optical element of the sixth embodiment.

In this optical element, an alignment layer 2a is formed on a substrate 1, a liquid crystal polymer layer 2b and a resist pattern 2c are patterned on the alignment layer 2a in a stripe pattern, and the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b portion is patterned 1 /. It is a two-wave plate. The alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b are laminated on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the half-wave plate 2 to form the quarter-wave plate 3 as the second retardation member.

FIG. 12 shows the manufacturing method of this optical element.
Follow the instructions below.

First, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, an alignment layer forming film 12a was formed on the substrate 1 and subjected to a rubbing treatment to form an alignment layer 2a. This step was performed in the same manner as the formation of the alignment layer 22a of the fifth embodiment.

Next, TFR-B3 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was applied as a resist material on the alignment layer 2a by a spin coating method (1200 rpm, 15 seconds), and baked in a constant temperature bath at 80 ° C. for 30 minutes. . Next, the width of the light shielding part is 300μ
m, and ultraviolet rays were radiated through a photomask on which a stripe pattern having a transparent portion width of 300 μm was formed. Then, 0.6% TMAH (Tetra Methyl A
After development using a mmonium Hydroxide) developing solution, baking was performed in a constant temperature bath at 120 ° C. to form a striped resist pattern 2c having a step difference of 2 μm as shown in FIG. 12C.

Then, a mixture (Δn = 0.142) in which 50% by weight of the polymerizable liquid crystal materials represented by the above chemical formulas (1) and (2) were mixed was used as Irgacure 651 (Ciba Geigy Co., Ltd.) as a photopolymerization initiator. Made by mixing 0.5% by weight of spin coat method (1200 rpm, 1
Apply for 5 seconds, UV light (irradiation amount: 120 mJ / cm
^2. Light source: high pressure mercury lamp) was irradiated to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal material to obtain a liquid crystal polymer layer 2b having a thickness of 2 μm as shown in FIG. 12 (d). Thus, the patterned half wave plate 2 was obtained.

Then, FIG. 12 (e) and FIG. 12 (f).
As shown in (1), the quarter-wave plate 3 was formed by laminating the alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b. This step was performed in the same manner as in the fifth embodiment. The optical element of Embodiment 6 was obtained as described above.

If necessary, a flattening layer for flattening the surface of the half-wave plate may be provided. This also applies to the following embodiments.

(Embodiment 7) FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing an optical element of Embodiment 7.

In this optical element, an alignment layer 2a in which a region 2e which has been subjected to a rubbing treatment and a region 2d which has not been subjected to a rubbing treatment are patterned in a stripe shape is formed on a substrate 1. Liquid crystal polymer layer 2b formed thereon
Is a region 2f where the rubbed region 2e of the alignment layer 2a is uniaxially oriented, and a region 2d of the alignment layer 2a which is not rubbed is uniaxially oriented.
g, which is a half-wave plate in which the uniaxially oriented region 2f is patterned. On it 1
Alignment layer 3 over the formation part and the non-formation part of the half wave plate
a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b are laminated to form a quarter wave plate 3 as a second retardation member.

FIG. 14 shows the manufacturing method of this optical element.
Follow the instructions below.

First, as shown in FIG. 14A, the substrate 1
The alignment layer 2a was formed on top. Here, an alignment layer forming film 12a is formed on a 7059 glass (made by Corning) substrate 1.
As a sample, AL4552 (manufactured by Japan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd.) was applied by a spin coating method, and baked in a thermostat at 180 ° C. for 2 hours.

Next, TFR-B3 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was applied as a resist material on the alignment layer forming film 12a, and baked in a thermostat at 80 ° C. for 30 minutes. Next, ultraviolet rays were irradiated through a photomask on which a stripe pattern having a light-shielding portion width of 300 μm and a light-transmitting portion width of 300 μm was formed. Subsequently, after developing with a 0.6% TMAH developing solution, baking was performed in a constant temperature bath at 120 ° C. to form a striped resist pattern 2c as shown in FIG. 14 (b).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 14C, the alignment layer forming film 12a was uniaxially rubbed with a nylon cloth. After that, the entire surface of the substrate is irradiated with ultraviolet rays,
Resist pattern 2c using 0.6% TMAH developer
Was peeled off. From the above, as shown in FIG.
An alignment layer 2a was obtained in which a region 2e that was rubbed and a region 2d that was not rubbed were patterned in stripes.

Next, a mixture (Δn = 0.142) in which 50% by weight of the polymerizable liquid crystal materials represented by the above chemical formulas (1) and (2) were mixed was used as an IGACURE 651 (Ciba Geigy Co., Ltd.) as a photopolymerization initiator. 0.5% by weight
The added material was applied by a spin coating method (1200 rpm, 15 seconds), and ultraviolet rays (irradiation amount: 120 mJ / cm ² ,
(Light source: high pressure mercury lamp) to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal material to obtain a thickness of 2 as shown in FIG.
A μm liquid crystal polymer layer 2b was obtained. At this time, the alignment layer 2
The liquid crystal polymer layer 2b is uniaxially aligned on the region 2e of a, which is a region 2f having a phase difference as a half-wave plate, and the liquid crystal polymer layer is on a region 2d of the alignment layer 2a which is not rubbed. Since 2b is oriented in a random direction to form a region 2g having no retardation, the patterned half-wave plate 2 was obtained.

Then, FIG. 14 (f) and FIG. 14 (g)
As shown in (1), the quarter-wave plate 3 was formed by laminating the alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b. This step was performed in the same manner as in the fifth embodiment. As described above, the optical element of Embodiment 7 was obtained.

(Embodiment 8) FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing an optical element of Embodiment 8.

In this optical element, an alignment layer 2a in which a region 2h having a strong alignment regulating force and a region 2i having a weak alignment regulating force are patterned in a stripe shape is formed on a substrate 1. The liquid crystal polymer layer 2b is laminated thereon, and the region 2h having a strong alignment regulating force of the alignment layer 2a becomes a region 2f in which the alignment layer 2a is uniaxially aligned, and the region 2 having a weak alignment regulating force of the alignment layer 2a.
A region 2g that is not uniaxially oriented is on the i side, and a ½ wavelength plate in which a region 2f that is uniaxially oriented is patterned is formed. The alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b are laminated on the formation portion and the non-formation portion of the half-wave plate to form the quarter-wave plate 3 as the second retardation member.

FIG. 16 shows the manufacturing method of this optical element.
Follow the instructions below.

First, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, an alignment layer forming film 12a was formed on the substrate 1 and subjected to a rubbing treatment. This step was performed in the same manner as in the fifth embodiment.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16C, the alignment layer forming film 12a is irradiated with far ultraviolet rays through a photomask on which a stripe pattern having a light-shielding portion width of 300 μm and a transmission portion width of 300 μm is formed. did. This far ultraviolet ray uses a low-pressure mercury lamp as a light source, and the irradiation light amount is 500 mJ / c.
It was set to m ² . By irradiating the far ultraviolet rays in this way, the alignment regulating force due to the rubbing treatment in the irradiation portion was reduced. As described above, as shown in FIG. 16C, an alignment layer 2a in which a region 2h having a strong alignment regulating force and a region 2i having a weak alignment regulating force were patterned in a stripe shape was obtained.

Subsequently, a mixture (Δn = 0.142) in which 50% by weight of the polymerizable liquid crystal materials represented by the above chemical formulas (1) and (2) were mixed was used as a photopolymerization initiator and IRGACURE 651 (Ciba Geigy Co., Ltd.). Made by mixing 0.5% by weight of spin coat method (1200 rpm, 1
It was applied for 5 seconds. Then, in a constant temperature bath at 35 ° C, 10
After heating for 30 minutes, ultraviolet rays (irradiation dose:
120 mJ / cm ² , light source: high pressure mercury lamp) to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal material, and
A liquid crystal polymer layer 2b having a thickness of 2 μm as shown in (d) was obtained. At this time, the light irradiation region 2i of the alignment layer 2a has a weak alignment regulating force due to deep ultraviolet rays, and when heated at 35 ° C., its thermal energy causes uniaxial alignment of the polymerizable liquid crystal material on the light irradiation region 2i. Due to the disturbance, the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b obtained by irradiation with ultraviolet rays is oriented in a random direction and becomes a region 2g having no retardation. On the other hand, the alignment layer 2a
Since the non-light-irradiated region 2h has a strong alignment regulating force, the polymerizable liquid crystal material on the non-light-irradiated region 2h is sufficiently uniaxially aligned even when heated at 35 ° C., and the liquid crystal polymer layer 2b obtained by ultraviolet irradiation is obtained. Becomes a region 2f having a uniaxial orientation and having a phase difference as a half-wave plate. As a result, the patterned half-wave plate 2 is obtained.

After that, FIG. 16 (e) and FIG. 16 (f)
As shown in (1), the quarter-wave plate 3 was formed by laminating the alignment layer 3a and the liquid crystal polymer layer 3b. This step was performed in the same manner as in the fifth embodiment. As described above, the optical element of Embodiment 8 was obtained.

In Embodiment 9 below, a polarizing element will be described in which a half-wave plate is patterned on a linear polarizing member and a second retardation member is laminated thereon.

(Embodiment 9) FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the polarizing element of the present invention. This polarizing element
The half-wave plate 2 is patterned in a stripe shape on the linear polarization member 6, and a quarter wave as a second retardation member is formed on the formation part and the non-formation part of the half-wave plate 2 thereon.
The wave plates 3 are laminated.

In this embodiment, the linear polarization member 6,
The patterned half wave plate 2 and the quarter wave plate 3 are laminated in this order for the following reason.

US Pat. No. 532 described in the prior art
1 on a transparent substrate, such as the polarizing element of Japanese Patent No. 7285
In the structure in which the / 2 wavelength plate is patterned, and the 1/4 wavelength plate and the linear polarizing plate are laminated on the pattern, the transparent substrate made of glass causes an increase in weight and a decrease in display brightness. Alternatively, undesired elliptically polarized light is generated by the transparent substrate made of plastic. In order to prevent this, in order to generate circularly polarized light for the left eye and the right eye without using a transparent substrate, a 1/4 wavelength plate is arranged on a linear polarization member, and a 1/2 wavelength plate is then placed thereon. The structure for patterning and the linear polarization member 1 as in the present embodiment
A configuration is conceivable in which a 1/2 wavelength plate is patterned and a 1/4 wavelength plate is arranged. When patterning a ½ wave plate on a ¼ wave plate, a 1/4 wave plate whose material is chemically or physically the same or similar to 1/4 wave plate is used.
It is necessary to selectively pattern the two wave plates,
Since the quarter-wave plate and the half-wave plate are composed only of a polymer material having a phase difference and are not provided with a protective layer or the like, selective patterning is substantially impossible. . In order to realize this, it is necessary to separately provide a protective layer having a physically or chemically different property with respect to etching on the quarter-wave plate, resulting in extremely low production efficiency. On the other hand, when patterning a half-wave plate on a linear polarization member as in the present embodiment, a linear polarizing plate that is currently widely used for liquid crystal panels has a thickness of triacetyl cellulose or the like. Since the optically isotropic protective layer having a thickness of about 100 μm is provided, this protective layer sufficiently functions as a protective layer during etching. Therefore, in this embodiment, the linear polarization member, the patterned half-wave plate and the quarter-wave plate are laminated in this order.

This polarizing element can be manufactured, for example, as shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 18A, the substrate 1 is used, if necessary, and the linear polarization member 6 is arranged thereon. The substrate 1 may be made of a transparent material such as glass or plastic. The substrate 1 may be removed after the optical element is manufactured. In that case, it may be an opaque substrate. When the polarizing element is applied to a liquid crystal display device or the like, a substrate that constitutes a liquid crystal panel may be used.

The linearly polarizing member 6 may be of any type as long as it can convert incident light into linearly polarized light. For example, various methods as described in JP-A-7-261024. Can be made with. The linearly polarizing member 6 may be attached to the substrate 1 with an adhesive, or may be attached with a photocurable resin or the like.

Next, as shown in FIG. 18B, the half-wave plate 12 is placed on the linear polarization member 6. As the half-wave plate 12, a uniaxially stretched polymer film, a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, or the like can be used. 1/2 wave plate 1
When 2 is a uniaxially stretched polymer film, it may be attached to the linearly polarizing member 6 with an adhesive or may be attached with a photocurable resin or the like. When the ½ wavelength plate 12 is a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, an alignment layer (not shown) made of polyimide or the like is formed on the linear polarization member 6 by a spin coating method, a roll coating method, a printing method or the like. The uniaxial orientation treatment is carried out by forming the film using a heat treatment, rubbing treatment using a nylon cloth or the like, or irradiating light such as ultraviolet rays or far ultraviolet rays. By applying a polymerizable liquid crystal material on the alignment layer and performing heat treatment or light irradiation treatment as necessary, the liquid crystal polymer is aligned according to the alignment state of the alignment layer, and a uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer is obtained. .

In this case, in order to facilitate the application of the alignment layer on the linear polarization member 6, an organic film of acrylic, epoxy, silane or the like, or SiO _{2 is formed} on the linear polarization member 6.
Alternatively, an inorganic film such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) may be formed.

The direction of the polarization transmission axis of the linear polarization member 6 and 1 /
The slow axis direction (or the fast axis direction) of the two-wave plate 12 is
For example, it is placed at an angle of 45 °. Also, as described below,
When a broadband wave plate is used as the ½ wave plate 12, the ½ wave plate 12 is arranged so that the polarization transmission axis direction of the linear polarization member 6 and the polarization incident axis direction of the ½ wave plate 12 coincide with each other. To place.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18C, 1 /
Patterning the two-wave plate 12 to form a stripe-shaped half
The wave plate 2 is used. At this time, the portion of the half-wave plate to be left may be covered with a resist material and patterned by a wet etching method or a dry etching method. Also, 1
The area of the half-wave plate to be shaved may be irradiated with an excimer laser for patterning. Further, the portion of the half-wave plate to be left may be covered with a resist material, and patterning may be performed by a sand blast method in which grinding powder such as alumina fine powder is sprayed on the surface of the half-wave plate. Further, by patterning the alignment layer for aligning the liquid crystal polymer layer,
A liquid crystal polymer layer may be laminated on it. This 1 /
As a method of patterning the two-wave plate, the first to eighth embodiments are used.
Any of the methods described in 1. can be used.

The shape of the half-wave plate 2 is not limited to the stripe shape, and any shape can be used. The shape can be easily changed, for example, by changing the shape of the photomask for patterning the resist material or the scanning method of the excimer laser.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18D, the quarter-wave plate 3 as the second retardation member is laminated on the patterned half-wave plate 2. For the quarter-wave plate 3, a uniaxially stretched polymer film, a uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer, or the like can be used. When the quarter-wave plate 3 is a uniaxially stretched polymer film, it may be attached with an adhesive or may be attached with a photocurable resin or the like. Also,
When the quarter-wave plate 3 is a uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer, an alignment layer (not shown) made of polyimide or the like is formed on the substrate 1 by a spin coating method, a roll coating method, a printing method or the like. A uniaxial orientation treatment is performed by performing a heat treatment as needed and performing a rubbing treatment using a nylon cloth or the like or irradiation with polarized light. By applying a polymerizable liquid crystal material on the alignment layer and performing heat treatment or light irradiation treatment as necessary, the liquid crystal polymer is aligned according to the alignment state of the alignment layer, and a uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer is obtained. . The polarizing element is completed by the above.

In the polarizing element thus obtained, the light incident on the linear polarizing member 6 is converted into linear polarized light, and the linear polarized light is not provided in the area where the half-wave plate 2 is provided. Incident on the area and the quarter wave plate 3
After passing through, the light is emitted from each region as elliptically polarized light having different polarities.

As the 1/4 wavelength plate 3 as the second retardation member, a retardation member having an arbitrary retardation can be used, but when the 1/4 wavelength plate is used, the incident light is incident. An optical element for converting the linearly polarized light into the circularly polarized light is obtained.

If the ½ wavelength plate 2 and the ¼ wavelength plate 3 are arranged so that the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction thereof are orthogonal to each other, two types of incident linearly polarized light having different polarities are provided. Elliptically polarized light or two types of circularly polarized light having different polarities. In this case, the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of both does not have to be exactly orthogonal to each other, and the slow axis direction of the ¼ wave plate 3 is relative to the slow axis direction of the ½ wave plate 2. Direction 90
The angle may be ± 10 ° or 90 ° ± 10 ° in the fast axis direction of the quarter wave plate 3 with respect to the fast axis direction of the half wave plate 2.

Before stacking the quarter-wave plate 3, 1
A transparent flattening film (not shown) may be formed to flatten the surface of the / 2 wave plate 2. Even when this flattening film is formed, the quarter-wave plate 3 may be adhered with an adhesive, if necessary, or with a photocurable resin or the like.

Further, in general, the uniaxially stretched polymer film and the uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer have wavelength dispersibility in the refractive index and do not function as a ½ wavelength plate or a ¼ wavelength plate in the entire visible light region. There are cases. In such cases,
A broadband wave plate can be obtained by laminating a plurality of uniaxially stretched polymer films or a plurality of uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layers with the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of each layer being shifted, and at least in a visible light region. It can function as a wave plate or a quarter wave plate. In such a wideband wave plate, the direction of the slow axis or the fast axis of the half wave plate 2 or the quarter wave plate 3 cannot be uniquely determined, so
The direction of the linearly polarized light emitted from the two-wave plate 2 and the direction of incident polarized light for obtaining the right elliptically polarized light or the direction of incident polarized light for obtaining the left elliptically polarized light in the quarter-wave plate 3 should match. You can place it in. In this case, 1
Even if the linearly polarized light emission direction of the / 2 wave plate 2 and the polarized light incident direction for obtaining the right elliptically polarized light or the left elliptically polarized light for the ¼ wavelength plate 3 do not strictly coincide with each other. Well, it may deviate by ± 10 °.

If necessary, another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation or a retardation film as proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-75116 may be used on the substrate 1 or on the substrate 1 in a straight line. It may be disposed between the polarizing member 6 and, when the substrate 1 is removed, the linear polarizing member 6 is disposed on the surface opposite to the surface on which the 1/2 wavelength plate 2 is disposed. May be.

In the following tenth to twelfth embodiments, an image display device capable of displaying both two-dimensional and three-dimensional images by combining an optical element or a polarizing element and a liquid crystal panel will be described.

(Embodiment 10) FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an image display device of Embodiment 10.

This image display device is provided with an optical element 106 on the outside of the glass substrate 102b forming the liquid crystal panel 111 (on the side opposite to the liquid crystal layer 112). Optical element 10
Reference numeral 6 denotes a substrate 106a, a patterned half-wave plate 106b, and a quarter-wave plate 106 as a second retardation member.
and the liquid crystal panel 1 on the side of the quarter-wave plate 106c.
It is provided on the 11th side. Note that this substrate 106
It is preferable to omit a from the viewpoint of preventing an increase in weight of the image display device and a decrease in display brightness.

The structure and manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel 111 will be described below.

Scanning lines, signal lines, and
Pixel electrode (neither shown) and TFT element 104
To form. The scanning lines are along the horizontal direction on the display screen of the liquid crystal panel 111, and each scanning line is one pixel of one row.
03, the signal lines are formed so as to be orthogonal to the scanning lines, and each signal line is formed so as to correspond to one column of pixels 103. One pixel electrode is formed for each of the pixels 103 arranged in a matrix, and
The element 104 connects to the scan line and the signal line. This scanning line, signal line, pixel electrode and TFT element 104
May be formed by any method. In this specification, the direction parallel to the scanning line is referred to as the row direction, and the direction parallel to the signal line is referred to as the column direction.

The pixels 103 arranged in a matrix form
One row of pixels is defined as the right-eye pixel group 103a or the left-eye pixel group 103b, and the right-eye pixel group 10
3a and the left-eye pixel groups 103b are arranged alternately for each scanning line.

Next, an alignment film 105a is formed over the entire surface of the glass substrate 102a provided with the TFT element 104. The alignment film 105a is formed by applying an organic polymer material such as polyimide or its precursor dissolved in an organic solvent such as γ-butyrolactone, N-methylpyrrolidone or xylene on the entire surface of the substrate 102a by, for example, spin coating. , Is formed by firing it. As described above, the TFT side substrate is manufactured.

A color filter 108a and a black matrix 108b for shielding the TFT element 104 formed on the glass substrate 102a from light are formed on the glass substrate 102b on the opposite side. Color filter 108
The a and the black matrix 108b may be formed by any method. In the tenth embodiment, R (Red) and G (Gre) that form the color filter 108a are formed.
en) and B (Black) so that the filter portions of the respective colors are in a stripe shape parallel to the signal line direction (vertical direction of the screen) and the R, G, and B directions with respect to the scanning line direction (vertical direction of the screen). The color filter 108a was formed so that each filter was arranged periodically. Further, the black matrix 108b is formed in a lattice shape so as to surround one pixel.

Next, the transparent electrode 103c is formed over the entire surface of the substrate 102b provided with the color filter 108a and the black matrix 108b. The transparent electrode 103c is formed by forming a transparent conductive film such as ITO by a sputtering method or the like. An alignment film 105b is formed thereon similarly to the alignment film 105a. The opposite side substrate is manufactured as described above.

After rubbing each of the thus-obtained TFT-side substrate and counter-side substrate, the two substrates are bonded to each other via a spacer 107 for keeping a constant gap between both substrates.

Next, liquid crystal is injected between both substrates by vacuum injection or the like to form a liquid crystal layer 112. The liquid crystal panel 111 is completed by the above. In the tenth embodiment, the display mode of the liquid crystal panel 111 is set to TN (Twisted N).
The electronic mode was set.

Liquid crystal panel 111 thus obtained
The polarizing film 101b having the same polarization transmission axis in all film planes is arranged so as to be adjacent to the outer surface of the opposite side glass substrate 102b.

Next, the optical element 106 in which the substrate 106a, the patterned half-wave plate 106b and the retardation member 106c are laminated is arranged on the side of the polarizing film 101b opposite to the liquid crystal panel 111. In this embodiment, the optical element 106 manufactured in Embodiments 1 to 8.
Was arranged by disposing the ¼ wavelength plate 106c side on the polarizing film 101b side. In addition, 1 which constitutes the optical element 106
The 1/2 wavelength plate 106b is arranged in a stripe shape such that the width of the 1/2 wavelength plate 106b substantially matches the width of a pixel, and the formation portions and the non-formation portions 106d of the 1/2 wavelength plate 106b are alternately arranged for each scanning line. So formed. Further, the direction of the slow axis or the direction of the fast axis of the half-wave plate 106b is set to
They were arranged so as to be displaced by 45 ° with respect to the polarization transmission axis direction of. When the ½ wavelength plate 106b is a broadband wavelength plate having a laminated structure, the polarization transmission axis of the polarizing film 101b is 1
The 1/2 wavelength plate 106b is arranged so that the polarization incident axes thereof coincide with each other. The optical element 106 thus arranged is attached on the polarizing film 101b by using an adhesive or an adhesive. The adhesive or the like may be cured by irradiation with light or heating, if necessary.

Then, the polarization transmission axis of the polarization film 101 is the same in all film planes so as to be adjacent to the outer surface of the TFT side glass substrate 102a of the liquid crystal panel 111.
a is arranged so that its polarization transmission axis is orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis of the polarizing film 101b. With the above, the video display device of the tenth embodiment is completed.

In the image display device according to the tenth embodiment thus manufactured, the light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 111 and passing through the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 106 is a circle having different polarities alternately for each pixel column. It becomes polarized light. Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. The observer wears the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye, so that a large number of viewers can use 3 glasses.
You can observe the three-dimensional image. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face. Furthermore, if the observer does not wear polarized glasses,
A two-dimensional image can be observed.

Further, in the tenth embodiment, one row of pixels arranged in the direction parallel to the scanning line is defined as a right eye pixel group 103a which provides a right eye image and a pixel group 103b which provides a left eye image. The pixel groups 103a and the left-eye pixel groups 103b are alternately arranged every scanning line in the direction parallel to the signal line, that is, in the column direction, and the half-wave plate 1 is arranged on the entire surface of the liquid crystal panel 111 every other scanning line.
The optical element 106 is arranged so that the stripes of 06b correspond to each other, and the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye are separated. Since the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixel group 103b are arranged in this way, it is possible to alternately switch and supply the right-eye image signal and the left-eye image signal for each scanning line. The drive circuit can have a simple structure.

In the tenth embodiment, the deviation between the polarization transmission axis direction of the polarizing film 101b and the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of the ½ wavelength plate 106b constituting the optical element 106 is 45 °. However, the angle does not have to be exactly 45 °, and may be an angle of 45 ° ± 10 °. This also applies to the following embodiments.

In the tenth embodiment, the liquid crystal panel 1
Although an active matrix type liquid crystal panel is used as 11, a means for obtaining an image for the left eye and an image for the right eye is not limited to this, and a simple matrix type liquid crystal panel, EL
(Electro Luminescence), CR
A self-luminous display device such as a T or plasma display or a plasma addressed liquid crystal panel can also be used. Further, the liquid crystal panel 111 that uses TN liquid crystal to perform display in the TN mode is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and STN (Super Twisted Nemat) is used.
ic) mode, ferroelectric liquid crystal mode, antiferroelectric liquid crystal mode, polymer dispersed liquid crystal mode, axisymmetric alignment mode, electric field induced birefringence mode, hybrid electric field effect mode, I
n-Plane Switching mode, phase transition mode using smectic liquid crystal having electroclinic effect, dynamic scattering mode, guest-host mode,
Any known display mode such as a liquid crystal composite film can be used. This also applies to the following embodiments. When a display mode other than the polarization mode is adopted among these display modes, the polarizing plate 101a is not necessary.

Further, in the tenth embodiment, one row of pixels arranged in the direction parallel to the scanning line corresponds to the pixel group 103 for the right eye.
a or the left-eye pixel groups 103b are arranged alternately in the direction parallel to the signal lines, that is, in the column direction, but the pixel arrangement may be any, for example, in the direction parallel to the signal lines. One row of pixels arranged side by side may be alternately arranged as the right-eye pixel group 103a or the left-eye pixel group 103b in the direction parallel to the scanning line, that is, in the row direction. In this case, the half-wave plate 106b forming the optical element 106 may be formed every other column in the direction parallel to the signal line so as to substantially match the size of the pixel. This also applies to the following embodiments.

In the tenth embodiment, the R, G, and B color filter portions of the color filter 108a are arranged in stripes, but they may be arranged in other shapes, for example, in a delta arrangement. This also applies to the following embodiments.

The half-wave plate 106b forming the optical element 106 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the filter portion of the color filter 108a, and the pixels forming the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixels. Any shape may be used as long as it substantially matches any one of the pixels forming the group 103b. The shape of the pixel may be any shape, but it is preferable that the pixels for the right eye and the pixels for the left eye are evenly arranged. At this time, assuming that the area where the half-wave plate 106b is provided is for one eye, for example, for the right eye, the right-eye area and the left-eye area where the half-wave plate is not provided are evenly arranged. Preferably. Further, in the case of a configuration in which the periphery of the grid-shaped pixels is shielded by the black matrix, the region 10 where the half-wave plate 106b is not provided is provided.
6d may be associated with a pixel for one eye, for example, a right eye pixel, and a half-wave plate 106b may be provided so as to surround the perimeter thereof to correspond to a left eye pixel and a black matrix. Alternatively, the area provided with the half-wave plate 106b is made to correspond to the pixel for one eye, for example, the pixel for the right eye, and the half-wave plate 106 is provided.
The region 106d where b is not provided may correspond to the left-eye pixel and the black matrix. This also applies to the following embodiments.

In the tenth embodiment, the polarizing film 101
Although the b and the quarter-wave plate 106c forming the optical element 106 are arranged in contact with each other, the substrate 1 forming the optical element
When a transparent material such as glass or plastic is used as 06a, the substrate 106a and the polarizing film 10 are
You may arrange | position so that 1b may contact. Also, the substrate 10
If 6a is removed, the half-wave plate 106
You may arrange so that b and the polarizing film 101b may contact.

A second retardation member is provided between the polarizing film 101b and the glass substrate 102b as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-7.
The retardation film as proposed in Japanese Patent No. 5116 may be arranged, or another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged. In particular, when the STN-mode liquid crystal panel 111 is used, the glass substrate 1
A second retardation member having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged between 02a and the polarizing film 101a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

In the tenth embodiment, the optical element 10 manufactured in the first to eighth embodiments is used as a means for separating the light emitted from the right-eye pixel and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel.
6 is used, the circular polarization element 201 as shown in FIG.
That is, the linear polarization member 201a, the patterned 1
You may use what laminated | stacked the 1/2 wavelength plate 201b and the 1/4 wavelength plate 201c. This circular polarization element 201 is
It can be manufactured as described in the ninth embodiment,
The linear polarization member 201a side is arranged and arranged on the glass substrate 102b side. Further, the polarization transmission axis of the linear polarization member 201a constituting the circular polarization element 201 is made to be orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis direction of the polarization film 101a attached to the liquid crystal panel 111. Further, in the half-wave plate 201b that constitutes the circularly polarizing element 201, the formation part thereof is the right-eye pixel group 103.
a or the left-eye pixel group 103b, and the non-formation portion 201d of the half-wave plate 201b that substantially matches either
Are formed so that they substantially match the other. When the circular polarization element 201 is arranged instead of the optical element 106 in this way, it is not necessary to attach the polarization film 101b to the liquid crystal panel 111 in advance. In this image display device, light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 111 and passing through the circularly polarizing element 201 is circularly polarized light having different polarities alternately for each column of pixels.
Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. An observer can observe a three-dimensional image by a large number of people by wearing the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face. Furthermore, if the observer does not wear polarized glasses,
A two-dimensional image can be observed.

Further, a retardation film as proposed in JP-A-6-75116 is arranged as a second retardation member between the polarizing film 201a constituting the circularly polarizing element 201 and the glass substrate 102b. Alternatively, another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged.
In particular, when the STN-mode liquid crystal panel 111 is used, the glass substrate 102a and the polarizing film 10 are used.
You may arrange | position the 2nd phase difference member which has arbitrary phase differences also with 1a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

(Embodiment 11) FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing an image display device of Embodiment 11.

In this image display device, the inside of the glass substrate 102b forming the liquid crystal panel 111 (on the side of the liquid crystal layer 112).
And an optical element 106. The optical element 106 includes a patterned half-wave plate 106b as a first retardation member and a patterned quarter-wave plate 106 as a second retardation member.
and the liquid crystal panel 1 on the half-wave plate 106b side.
11 is provided so as to be arranged on the transparent substrate 102b side.

The structure and manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel 111 will be described below.

The TFT side substrate has the same structure as in the tenth embodiment, and can be manufactured in the same manner.

On the glass substrate 102b on the opposite side, the optical element 106 in which the patterned ½ wavelength plate 106b and the ¼ wavelength plate 106c are laminated is arranged. In the present embodiment, the optical element 106 manufactured in Embodiments 1 to 8 has the glass substrate 10 on the ¼ wavelength plate 106c side.
It was arranged on the side far from 2b. In addition, the optical element 10
The half-wave plate constituting 6 has a stripe shape whose width is substantially equal to the width of a pixel, and is 1/2 for each scanning line.
The wave plate 106b was formed so that the formation portion and the non-formation portion 106d were alternately arranged.

Next, the polarizing film 1 is placed on the optical element 106.
01b is arranged. In this embodiment, the polarization transmission axis of the polarization film 101b is the same in all film planes.
The polarization transmission axis thereof is arranged so as to be shifted by 45 ° from the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of the ½ wavelength plate 106b. Also,
When the ½ wavelength plate 106b is a broadband wavelength plate having a laminated structure, the ½ wavelength plate 106b has a polarization transmission axis of the polarization film 101b and ½
It was arranged so that the polarization incident axis of the wave plate 106b coincided. The polarizing film 101b thus arranged in the liquid crystal panel 111 is normally exposed to an atmosphere of more than 100 ° C. when forming the color filter 108a, forming the transparent electrode 103c, or forming the alignment film 105b.
Therefore, if necessary, the polarizing film 101b may be a heat-resistant polarizing film ST-1822AP (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) or a polarizing film (K polarizer) made of a stretched polyvinyl alcohol sheet containing polyvinylene molecules.

Subsequently, a color filter 108a and a black matrix 108b for shielding the TFT element 104 formed on the glass substrate 102a from light are formed on the polarizing film 101b. Color filter 108
The a and the black matrix 108b may be formed by any method. In the eleventh embodiment, the R, G, and B color filter portions constituting the color filter 108a are arranged in stripes parallel to the signal line direction (the screen vertical direction), and in the scanning line direction (the screen vertical direction). ), The color filter 108a is formed so that the R, G, and B filters are periodically arranged. Further, the black matrix 108b is formed in a lattice shape so as to surround one pixel.

After that, the substrate 102b provided with the color filter 108a and the black matrix 108b.
A transparent electrode 103c is formed on the entire surface of the above.
The transparent electrode 103c is formed by forming a transparent conductive film such as ITO by a sputtering method or the like. An alignment film 105b is formed thereon similarly to the alignment film 105a.
The opposite side substrate is manufactured as described above.

After rubbing each of the thus-obtained TFT-side substrate and counter-side substrate, both substrates are bonded together via a spacer 107 for keeping a constant gap between both substrates.

Next, liquid crystal is injected between both substrates by a vacuum injection method or the like to form a liquid crystal layer 112. The liquid crystal panel 111 is completed by the above. In the eleventh embodiment, the display mode of the liquid crystal panel 111 is set to TN (Twisted).
Nematic) mode.

After that, the polarizing film 101 having the same polarization transmission axis in all film planes so as to be adjacent to the outer surface of the TFT side glass substrate 102a of the liquid crystal panel 111.
a is arranged so that its polarization transmission axis is orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis of the polarizing film 101b. With the above, the image display device of the eleventh embodiment is completed.

In the image display device according to the eleventh embodiment thus manufactured, the light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 111 and passing through the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 106 has a circle having different polarities alternately for each pixel column. It becomes polarized light. Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. The observer wears the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye, so that a large number of viewers can use 3 glasses.
You can observe the three-dimensional image. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face. Furthermore, if the observer does not wear polarized glasses,
A two-dimensional image can be observed.

In the eleventh embodiment, the optical element 10
Since 6 is arranged inside the liquid crystal panel 111, the stereoscopic viewable zone can be expanded. The reason will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view showing an image display device in which the optical element is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel. In this image display device, it is assumed that the half-wave plate 106b is patterned so that the light emitted from the left-eye pixel 103b passes through the formation region of the half-wave plate 106b in the optical element. In FIG. 22, P is the pixel pitch, B is the width of the black matrix 108, and P1 is 1 /
The width of the two-wave plate 106b, d1 is the air-equivalent distance from the plane where the pixels are formed to the upper surface of the half-wave plate 106b forming portion, that is, the air-equivalent distance of the counter substrate 102b, and L1 is the half-wave plate 106b. A distance W from the upper surface of the forming portion to the observer 207, W is a vertical stereoscopic viewable zone. Note that, in FIG. 22, the second retardation member, the polarizing film, the alignment film, and the like are not shown for simplicity.

In the image display device shown in FIG. 22, the light emitted from the left-eye pixel 103b is emitted by the observer 20.
In order to be observed by the left eye of the observer 207 through the circularly polarized eyeglasses attached to the observer 207, that is, to be observed without causing crosstalk, the emitted light is the half-wave plate 1
It is necessary to pass through the formation area of 06b. In FIG. 22, the endpoints of the left-eye pixel 103b are A and B, the endpoints of the half-wave plate 106b forming region corresponding to the left-eye pixel 103b are C and D, and the intersection of the straight line AC and the plane where the observer 207 is located. Is E, and the intersection of the straight line BD and the plane on which the observer 207 is located is F, the stereoscopic viewable zone W in the vertical direction is in the range E-F. If the intersection of the perpendicular drawn from the point C and the plane on which the pixel is formed is G, and the intersection of the perpendicular drawn from the point C and the plane on which the observer 207 is located is H, a triangle CAG and a triangle CEH are obtained. From the similarity of CG: CH = AG: EH d1: L1 = B / 2: (W-P1) / 2. Therefore, W = P1 + (L1 / d1) × B (Equation 1) For example, P = 0.33 mm, B = 0.03 m
m, the thickness of the counter glass substrate 102b is 1.1 mm, the refractive index of the glass is n = 1.52, d1 = 0.72 mm, P1 =
If 0.33 mm and L1 = 350 mm, the stereoscopic viewable zone is W = about 14 mm from the above formula (1).

On the other hand, as in the eleventh embodiment, the polarizing film 101a and the optical element 106 are arranged in the liquid crystal panel 1.
If it is arranged inside 11, the left-eye pixel 10
Since 3b and the formation region of the half-wave plate 106b of the optical element 106 are close to each other, in principle, the influence of parallax due to the counter substrate 102b can be eliminated, and the vertical stereoscopic viewable zone can be widened. it can.

Further, in the eleventh embodiment, one row of pixels arranged in the direction parallel to the scanning line is defined as a pixel group 103a for providing the image for the right eye and a pixel group 103b for providing the image for the left eye as the pixel group for the right eye. 103a and left-eye pixel groups 103b are arranged alternately every scanning line in a direction parallel to the signal line, that is, in the column direction, and
The optical element 106 is arranged so that the stripes of the half-wave plate 106b correspond to every other scanning line on the entire surface of the liquid crystal panel 111.
Are arranged to separate the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye. Since the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixel group 103b are arranged in this way, it is possible to alternately switch and supply the right-eye image signal and the left-eye image signal for each scanning line. The drive circuit can have a simple structure.

In the eleventh embodiment, the optical element 106 is formed on the glass substrate 102b forming the liquid crystal panel 111, but the optical element 106 is formed on another substrate (not shown) and the glass substrate 102b side is formed. 1/4 wave plate 106c
You may arrange so that it may contact. This other substrate may be removed from the optical element 106 if necessary, and in that case, the glass substrate 102b and the ½ wavelength plate 106b may be arranged to be in contact with each other.

In the eleventh embodiment, the color filter 108a and the black matrix 108b are formed on the polarizing film 101b.
08a and the black matrix 108b are optical elements 1
It may be formed between 06 and the polarizing film 101b.
In addition, the color filter 108 is provided on the glass substrate 102b.
After forming a and the black matrix 108b, the optical element 106 may be formed thereon.

Further, the second film is formed on the polarizing film 101b.
As the retardation member, a retardation film as proposed in JP-A-6-75116 may be arranged, or another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged. In particular, when the STN mode liquid crystal panel 111 is used, the alignment film 105b and the polarizing film 10 are
You may arrange | position the 2nd phase difference member which has arbitrary phase differences also with 1a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

In the eleventh embodiment, the optical element 10 manufactured in the first to eighth embodiments is used as a means for separating the light emitted from the right-eye pixel and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel.
6 is used, the circular polarization element 201 as shown in FIG.
That is, the linear polarization member 201a, the patterned half-wave plate 201b as the first retardation member, and the second
You may use what laminated | stacked the quarter wavelength plate 201c as a phase difference member. This circularly polarizing element 201 can be manufactured as described in the ninth embodiment,
The wave plate 201c side is arranged on the glass substrate 102b side. Further, the polarization transmission axis of the linear polarization member 201a constituting the circular polarization element 201 is made to be orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis direction of the polarization film 101a attached to the liquid crystal panel 111.
Furthermore, the half-wave plate that constitutes the circularly polarizing element 201 is
The formation portion 201b is formed so as to substantially coincide with either the right-eye pixel group 103a or the left-eye pixel group 103b, and the non-formation portion 201d of the half-wave plate 201b substantially coincides with the other. In this way, the optical element 1
When the circular polarization element 201 is arranged instead of 06, it is not necessary to attach the polarization film 101b to the liquid crystal panel 111 after forming the optical element 106. In this image display device, the circularly polarizing element 201 is emitted from the liquid crystal panel 111.
The light passing through is circularly polarized light having different polarities alternately for each pixel column. Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. An observer can observe a three-dimensional image by a large number of people by wearing the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face. Further, when the observer does not wear the polarized glasses, a two-dimensional image can be observed.

By thus disposing the polarizing film 101a and the circularly polarizing element 201 inside the liquid crystal panel 111, as in the case where the polarizing film 101a and the optical element 106 are disposed inside the liquid crystal panel 111, The parallax due to the counter substrate 102b can be reduced, and the stereoscopic viewable zone can be widened.

The color filter 108a and the black matrix 108b may be formed on the circular polarization element 201. In addition, the color filter 108a and the black matrix 108b are previously formed on the glass substrate 102b.
After forming the, the circularly polarizing element 201 may be arranged thereon.

Further, as a second retardation member, a second retardation member was formed on the polarizing film 201a constituting the circularly polarizing element 201.
The retardation film as proposed in Japanese Patent No. 75116 may be arranged, or another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged. In particular, the liquid crystal panel 111
If the STN mode is used as the alignment film, the alignment film 1
A second retardation member having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged between 05b and the polarizing film 101a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

(Twelfth Embodiment) FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an image display device of a twelfth embodiment.

This image display device is provided with an optical element 106 and a lenticular lens plate 109 on the outer side (on the side opposite to the liquid crystal layer 112) of the glass substrate 102b constituting the liquid crystal panel 111. The optical element 106 is a half-wave plate 106b as a patterned first retardation member.
And a quarter-wave plate 106c as a second retardation member, and the quarter-wave plate 106c side is provided on the liquid crystal panel 111 side.

The structure of the liquid crystal panel 111 is the same as that of the tenth embodiment and can be manufactured in the same manner as the tenth embodiment.

A polarizing film 101b having the same polarization transmission axis in all film planes is arranged so as to be adjacent to the outer surface of the opposite glass substrate 102b of the liquid crystal panel 111.

Next, the optical element 106 in which the patterned ½ wavelength plate 106b and the patterned ¼ wavelength plate 106c are laminated is arranged on the side surface of the polarizing film 101b opposite to the liquid crystal panel 111. In the present embodiment, the first embodiment
The optical elements 106 manufactured in Examples 1 to 8 were arranged such that the ¼ wavelength plate 106c side was arranged on the polarizing film 101b side. In addition, the half-wave plate that constitutes the optical element 106 is
It was formed in a stripe shape having a width substantially equal to the width of a pixel, and the formation portion and the non-formation portion 106d of the half-wave plate 106b were alternately arranged for each scanning line. Furthermore, the slow axis direction or the fast axis direction of the ½ wavelength plate 106b is arranged so as to be shifted by 45 ° with respect to the polarization transmission axis direction of the polarizing film 101b. In addition, the half-wave plate 106
When b is a broadband wavelength plate having a laminated structure, the polarization transmission axis of the polarizing film 101b and the polarization incidence axis of the ½ wavelength plate 106b are arranged so as to coincide with each other. The optical element 106 thus arranged is attached on the polarizing film 101b by using an adhesive or an adhesive. The adhesive or the like may be cured by irradiation with light or heating, if necessary.

Next, the half-wave plate 1 of the optical element 106
The lenticular lens so that one cylindrical lens 109a corresponds to each row of the right-eye pixel group 103a and one cylindrical lens 109a corresponds to each row of the left-eye pixel group 103b over the entire surface on the 06b side. A plate 109 is provided. That is, the cylindrical lens 109a extends in the horizontal direction of the screen, which is the direction parallel to the scanning line, and corresponds to one row of pixels.

In the twelfth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 25, the pitch P1 of the cylindrical lenses 109a on the lenticular lens plate 109 is set so as to prevent the generation of moire fringes due to the parallax between the pixels 103 and the cylindrical lenses 109a. Set. More specifically, the pitch P of the pixels 103 of the liquid crystal panel 111, the cylindrical lens 109a from the plane where the pixels 103 are formed
The cylindrical lens so that the air-converted distance d to the plane where the cylindrical lens 109a is formed, the distance L from the plane where the cylindrical lens 109a is formed to the observer, and the pitch P1 of the cylindrical lens 109a satisfy the following expression (2). The pitch P1 of 109a was set. Note that, in FIG. 25, the polarizing film and the optical element are not shown for simplicity.

P1 = P × L / (d + L) Equation (2) In Embodiment 12, the pixel 10 of the liquid crystal panel 111 is used.
The pitch P of 3 is 0.33 mm, the cylindrical lens 1
The distance L from the plane on which 09a is formed to the observer is 350 mm. Further, the thickness of the counter substrate 102b is 1.1 mm, and its refractive index is n = 1.52. According to this, the air conversion from the plane where the pixel 103 is formed to the plane where the cylindrical lens 109a is formed. The distance d is 0.72 mm. From these values and the above equation (2), the pitch P1 of the cylindrical lens is set to 0.
It was set to 329 mm.

In the twelfth embodiment, the lenticular lens plate 109 is arranged so that the cylindrical lens 109a collects light on one point of the corresponding pixel 103. With this arrangement, the lenticular lens plate 1
When 09 is used, the stereoscopic viewable zone can be widened.

After that, the polarizing film 101 whose polarization transmission axis is the same in all the film planes so as to be adjacent to the outer surface of the TFT side glass substrate 102a of the liquid crystal panel 111.
a is arranged so that its polarization transmission axis is orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis of the polarizing film 101b.

With the above, the image display device of the twelfth embodiment is completed.

The present embodiment 12 thus produced
In the image display device, the light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 111 and passing through the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 106 is circularly polarized light having different polarities alternately for each pixel column. Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. The observer wears the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye, so that a large number of viewers can use 3 glasses.
You can observe the three-dimensional image. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face. Furthermore, if the observer does not wear polarized glasses,
A two-dimensional image can be observed.

Further, in the twelfth embodiment, the optical element 1
Since the microlens array is arranged so as to be adjacent to 06, and each microlens collects only the light emitted from either the left-eye pixel or the right-eye pixel,
Although the optical element 106 is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel, it is possible to further widen the stereoscopic viewable zone as compared with the conventional stereoscopic image display device.

The size of the stereoscopic viewable zone in the video display apparatus according to the twelfth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 26A is a sectional view showing an image display device in which the optical element is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel. In FIG. 26A, P is the pixel pitch, B is the width of the black matrix 108, and P is the black matrix 1.
The width of 08, d is the air-equivalent distance from the plane where the pixels are formed to the plane where the cylindrical lens 109a is formed, L is the distance from the plane where the cylindrical lens 109a is formed to the observer 207, and W is A vertical stereoscopic viewable zone, 109 is a lenticular lens plate, 103b is a left-eye pixel, and 102b is a counter substrate. Note that, in FIG. 26, the second retardation member, the polarizing film, the alignment film, and the like are not shown for simplicity.

As shown in FIG. 26A, since the light from one point on the pixel is expanded by the cylindrical lens 109a, the range in which stereoscopic viewing is possible is expanded. Figure 2
In FIG. 6A, the central portions of the black matrix 108 existing above and below the target left-eye pixel 103b are Q and R, the central portion of the cylindrical lens 109a is S, and the vertical stereoscopic viewable zone W is T-U. If the interval is P, W = d: L due to the similarity between the triangle SQR and the triangle SUT. Therefore, W = P × (L / d) (3) For example, P = 0.33 mm, B = 0.03 m
m, the thickness of the counter glass substrate 102b is 1.1 mm, the refractive index of the glass is n = 1.52, d = 0.72 mm, P1 =
If 0.33 mm and L = 350 mm, the above formula (3)
The more stereoscopic viewable zone is W = about 160 mm.

Here, the cylindrical lens 109a
However, the case where light is condensed at a point other than one point on the pixel will be described.
As shown in FIG. 26B, the light rays that are condensed at one point on the pixel are represented by the triangle QCD and the triangle RCD, and the light rays that are not condensed at one point on the pixel are represented by the triangle Q′CD and the triangle R′CD. The stereoscopic viewable zone in the case of condensing at one point on the pixel is the observer 207 of the light beam that has passed from the condensing points S and R through the center point S of the cylindrical lens 109a as described above.
And the width is W at the distance L. Next, when the light is not focused on the pixel at a constant value, the width W ′ of the light beam passing through the center point S of the cylindrical lens 109a from the focal points Q ′ and R ′ at the distance L of the observer 207 is W ′. As is clear from the figure, W> W '
Thus, the stereoscopic viewable zone W becomes the widest when the light is focused on one point on the pixel.

On the other hand, when the optical element is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel without providing the lenticular lens, the vertical stereoscopic viewable zone is W = about 14 mm. Therefore, by providing the lenticular lens. The polarizing film 101a and the optical element 106 are attached to the liquid crystal panel 1.
Even if it is arranged outside 11, it is possible to widen the stereoscopic viewable zone.

Further, by using the lenticular lens in this way, the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 1 are
Since it is not necessary to dispose 06 and 06 in the liquid crystal panel 111, there is no need to limit the heat resistance of the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 106 that are required when disposing in the liquid crystal panel 111.

Next, the left and right stereoscopic viewable zones will be described.

In the twelfth embodiment, one row of pixels arranged in a direction parallel to the scanning line is provided to the pixel group 103a for providing the image for the right eye and the pixel group 103 for providing the image for the left eye.
As b, the right-eye pixel groups 103a and the left-eye pixel groups 103b are arranged alternately every scanning line in the direction parallel to the signal line, that is, in the column direction, and every other scanning line is arranged on the entire surface of the liquid crystal panel 111. 1/2 wave plate 106b
The optical elements 106 are arranged so that the stripes in FIG. 2 correspond to each other, and one cylindrical lens 109a corresponds to the pixels 103 in one row to separate the right-eye image and the left-eye image. Therefore, the stereoscopic view zone in the left-right direction is not limited, and the resolution in the horizontal direction of the screen does not decrease. Further, since the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixel group 103b are arranged in this way, it is possible to alternately switch and supply the right-eye image signal and the left-eye image signal every 1H period. , The drive circuit can have a simple structure.

Further, in the twelfth embodiment, the cylindrical lenses 109a are arranged not at the same pitch as the pixels 103 but at a pitch obtained by correcting this, so that the pixels arranged in the matrix and the cylindrical lenses are arranged. It is possible to prevent the generation of moire fringes due to the parallax with.

In the twelfth embodiment, one row of pixels lined up in the direction parallel to the scanning line corresponds to the right-eye pixel group 103.
a or the left-eye pixel groups 103b are arranged alternately in the direction parallel to the signal line, that is, in the column direction, but one column of pixels arranged in the direction parallel to the signal line is used as the right-eye pixel group 103a or the left-eye pixel group. The groups 103b may be alternately arranged in the direction parallel to the scanning lines, that is, in the row direction. In this case, the half-wave plate 106b forming the optical element 106 is formed every other row in the direction parallel to the signal line so as to substantially match the size of the pixel, and the cylindrical lens of the lenticular lens plate 109 is formed. 109a
Should be arranged in the vertical direction of the screen (direction parallel to the signal line).

In addition, in the twelfth embodiment, the observation distance L is set so that the stereoscopic viewable zone W in the vertical direction becomes larger than the length Hv in the vertical direction (direction parallel to the signal line) of the video display device 208. Although it is set, it may be set so that W <Hv. However, when W ≧ Hv, there is an advantage that there is no limit of the stereoscopic viewable zone with respect to the backward movement.

In the twelfth embodiment, the polarizing film and the optical element are arranged on the liquid crystal panel, and the lenticular lens plate is arranged on the polarizing film. However, the lenticular lens plate is arranged on the liquid crystal panel and the polarizing film is arranged on the polarizing film. You may arrange | position a film and an optical element. After forming the cylindrical lens 109a on the optical element 106, the polarizing film 1
It may be arranged on 01b. In this case, one cylindrical lens 109a is provided for each pixel row or each pixel column of the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixel group 103b.
If they are formed so as to correspond to each other, they may be formed so as to be in contact with the ½ wavelength plate 106b (the substrate 106a when the substrate 106a is present) that constitutes the optical element 106, or ¼ wavelength. It may be formed so as to contact the plate 106c.

In addition, in the twelfth embodiment, the quarter-wave plate 10 which constitutes the polarizing film 101b and the optical element 106.
6c is arranged so as to be in contact with each other, but when a transparent material such as glass or plastic is used as the substrate 106a constituting the 1/2 optical element, it is arranged so that the substrate 106a and the polarizing film 101b are in contact with each other. May be. If the substrate 106a is removed, 1/2
You may arrange | position so that the wave plate 106b and the polarizing film 101b may contact.

A second retardation member is provided between the polarizing film 101b and the glass substrate 102b as disclosed in JP-A-6-7.
The retardation film as proposed in Japanese Patent No. 5116 may be arranged, or another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged. In particular, when the STN-mode liquid crystal panel 111 is used, the glass substrate 1
A second retardation member having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged between 02a and the polarizing film 101a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

In the twelfth embodiment, the optical element 10 manufactured in the first to eighth embodiments is used as a means for separating the light emitted from the right-eye pixel and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel.
6 is used, a circular polarization element 201 as shown in FIG.
That is, the linear polarization member 201a, the patterned half-wave plate 201b as the first retardation member, and the second
You may use what laminated | stacked the quarter wavelength plate 201c as a phase difference member. This circular polarization element 201 can be manufactured as described in the ninth embodiment, and the linear polarization element 201a side is arranged on the glass substrate 102b side. Further, the polarization transmission axis of the linear polarization member 201a constituting the circular polarization element 201 is made to be orthogonal to the polarization transmission axis direction of the polarization film 101a attached to the liquid crystal panel 111.
Furthermore, the half-wave plate that constitutes the circularly polarizing element 201 is
The formation portion 201b is formed so as to substantially coincide with either the right-eye pixel group 103a or the left-eye pixel group 103b, and the non-formation portion 201d of the half-wave plate 201b is formed so as to substantially coincide with the other. In this way, the optical element 1
When the circular polarizing element 201 is arranged instead of 06, it is not necessary to attach the polarizing film 101b to the liquid crystal panel 111 in advance. This image display device has a liquid crystal panel 11
The light emitted from No. 1 and passing through the circularly polarizing element 201 becomes circularly polarized light having different polarities alternately for each pixel column. Therefore, the light emitted from the right-eye pixel group 103a and the light emitted from the left-eye pixel group 103b are converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities. An observer can observe a three-dimensional image by a large number of people by wearing the polarizing glasses 110 having the circularly polarizing plates 110a and 110b corresponding to the respective polarities on the right eye and the left eye. Moreover, a three-dimensional image can be observed even when the observer tilts his face.
Further, when the observer does not wear the polarized glasses, a two-dimensional image can be observed.

By using the lenticular lens in this way, the polarizing film 101b and the circularly polarizing element 201 are formed.
Even if and are arranged outside the liquid crystal panel 111, the stereoscopic viewable zone can be widened, and when arranged inside the liquid crystal panel 111, the heat resistance of the polarizing film 101b and the circular polarization element 201, etc. required. The restriction of is unnecessary.

Further, a lenticular lens plate may be arranged on the liquid crystal panel and the circular polarization element 201 may be arranged thereon, and the cylindrical lens 10 may be arranged on the circular polarization element 201.
After forming 9a, it may be arranged on the liquid crystal panel 111. In this case, if the cylindrical lens 109a is formed so as to correspond to each pixel row or each pixel column of the right-eye pixel group 103a and the left-eye pixel group 103b, the linear polarization member 201a forming the circular polarization element 201 is formed.
It may be formed on the side (the substrate side when the substrate is present), or may be formed on the quarter wavelength plate 201c side.

Further, a retardation film as proposed in JP-A-6-75116 is arranged as a second retardation member between the polarizing film 201a constituting the circularly polarizing element 201 and the glass substrate 102b. Alternatively, another retardation film having an arbitrary retardation may be arranged.
In particular, when the STN-mode liquid crystal panel 111 is used, the glass substrate 102a and the polarizing film 10 are used.
You may arrange | position the 2nd phase difference member which has arbitrary phase differences also with 1a. By arranging the second retardation member in this way, visual angle compensation and color tone compensation can be performed.

[0254]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
By stacking the second retardation member over the patterned first retardation member forming portion and the patterned non-formation portion,
By patterning the retardation member once, different retardation regions can be formed in the two regions. Since two types of regions can be formed by patterning once, damage and the like at the time of patterning are small, and an optical element or polarizing element with good characteristics can be obtained. In addition, alignment of each region is not necessary, and a protective layer or the like against etching unlike the case of patterning the first retardation member on the second retardation member is not required, so the manufacturing process is simplified and the cost is reduced. Can be achieved. Further, according to the polarizing element of the present invention,
Since it is not necessary to provide a transparent substrate on the outgoing light side, the weight of the transparent substrate does not increase, and it is possible to prevent a decrease in display brightness. Also, crosstalk or the like does not occur unlike when a plastic substrate or the like is used as the transparent substrate. Therefore, it is possible to observe a three-dimensional image full of realism by enlarging the screen of the video display device.

When the first retardation member is a ½ wavelength plate, the incident linearly polarized light is divided into two types of elliptically polarized lights having different polarities in a region where the ½ wavelength plate is formed and a region where the ½ wavelength plate is not formed. Can be converted to.

When the second retardation member is a quarter-wave plate, incident linearly polarized light can be converted into circularly polarized light having different polarities, so that the elliptically polarizing element can be used as a circularly polarizing element.

When a monolayer uniaxially stretched polymer film is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member,
Since a uniform retardation region or polarization region can be formed in that region, stable optical characteristics without unevenness can be obtained in each region. Further, when a single layer uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member,
It is possible to reduce the thickness of optical elements and elliptical polarization elements. Also,
When a laminated structure of a plurality of uniaxially stretched polymer films or a laminated structure of a plurality of uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layers is used as the first retardation member or the second retardation member, a 1/2 wavelength plate or 1 / It can function as a four-wave plate. By using this optical element or polarizing element in an image display device, it is possible to display a vivid three-dimensional image with little color shift.

According to the image display device of the present invention, a large number of observers can observe a three-dimensional image regardless of the positions of the observers or the angles of the faces by wearing the circularly polarized glasses. Unlike conventional stereoscopic image display devices, expensive glasses are not required, and the stereoscopic viewable zone can be widened. Further, when the observer does not wear the circularly polarized glasses, a two-dimensional image can be displayed without lowering the resolution due to the number of pixels configured on the liquid crystal panel.

In this case, by disposing the optical element of the present invention or the elliptically polarizing element of the present invention inside the liquid crystal panel, it is possible to eliminate parallax due to the optically isotropic glass substrate and obtain a good display state. it can. Further, by using a microlens, it is possible to reduce display parallax even if the optical element or the elliptical polarizing element of the present invention is arranged outside the liquid crystal panel.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical element of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an optical element of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the principle by which an incident linearly polarized light is converted into two types of elliptically polarized light or two types of circularly polarized light having different polarities in the optical element of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the optical element of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process of the optical element of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a sandblasting device used for manufacturing the optical element of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an optical element according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing an optical element according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical element of Embodiment 7.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing an optical element of Embodiment 8.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical element of the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing an elliptically polarizing element according to a ninth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the elliptically polarizing element according to the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing an image display device of the tenth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing another image display device of the tenth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view showing an image display device of an eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining a stereoscopic viewable zone in the image display device of the eleventh embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view when an optical element is arranged outside a liquid crystal panel.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing another image display device of the eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view showing an image display device of a twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a diagram for explaining the pitch of the cylindrical lenses in the image display device of the twelfth embodiment.

26A and 26B are sectional views for explaining a stereoscopic viewable zone in the video display device of the twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view showing another image display device of the twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a conventional stereoscopic image device.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a conventional stereoscopic image device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 106a Substrates 2, 106b, 201b Patterned 1/2 wave plates 2a, 3a Alignment layer 2b Uniaxially aligned liquid crystal polymer layer (1/2 wave plate) 2c, 5 Resist pattern 2d Alignment layer (region not rubbed) ) 2e alignment layer (rubbed region) 2f liquid crystal polymer layer (uniaxial alignment region) 2g liquid crystal polymer layer (random alignment region) 2h alignment layer (light non-irradiation region) 2i alignment layer (light irradiation region) 3, 106c, 201c Second retardation member (1/4 wavelength plate) 3b Uniaxially oriented liquid crystal polymer layer (1/4 wavelength plate) 4 Flattening layer 6 Linearly polarizing members 101a, 101b Polarizing films 102a, 102b Glass substrate 103 Pixel 103a Right eye pixel Group 103b Left-eye pixel group 104 TFT elements 105a and 105b Alignment film 106 Optical element 1 7 spacer 108a color filter 108b black matrix 109 lenticular lens plate 109a the cylindrical lens 110 polarizing glasses 111 non-formation portion of the liquid crystal panel 112 crystal layer 201 circular polarization element 201a linearly polarized member 201d 1/2 wave plate

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-31803 (JP, A) JP-A-2-165023 (JP, A) JP-A-5-107412 (JP, A) JP-A-7- 333431 (JP, A) JP-A-9-113862 (JP, A) JP-A-10-123461 (JP, A) JP-A-7-72445 (JP, A) JP-A-9-90278 (JP, A) (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 5/30 G02B 27/22 G02F 1/13363

Claims (15)

(57) [Claims] 1. A polarizing element having two types of regions for converting incident light into linearly polarized light and then converting it into elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light having different polarities, wherein one of the two types of regions is used. The first provided in
A first retardation member having a retardation, the one region and
Across the other region where the first retardation member is not provided
A second retardation member having a second retardation laminated by
A polarizing element comprising an optical element provided with, and a linear polarizing member for linearly polarizing incident light is provided on both sides of the two types of regions on the first phase difference member side of the optical element. . 2. The first retardation member of the optical element is 1
The polarizing element according to claim 1, which is a half-wave plate. 3. The first retardation member of the optical element is 1
The polarizing element according to claim 1, which is a / 4 wavelength plate. 4. The fast axis direction of the first retardation member and the fast axis direction of the second retardation member of the optical element are different from each other, or the slow axis direction of the first retardation member is different. And the second
3. The retardation member is different from the slow axis direction in the retardation axis direction.
Alternatively, the polarizing element according to item 3. 5. The fast axis direction of the first retardation member and the fast axis direction of the second retardation member of the optical element are orthogonal to each other, or the slow axis direction of the first retardation member. The polarizing element according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the direction of the slow axis of the second retardation member is orthogonal to the direction of the slow axis. 6. The optical retardation element according to claim 1 , wherein the first retardation member and the second retardation member of the optical element are laminated via an adhesive layer or a planarization layer. of
Polarizing element . 7. A uniaxially stretched polymer film having a single layer or a plurality of layers, or a uniaxial orientation having a single layer or a plurality of layers, in at least one of the first retardation member and the second retardation member of the optical element. The polarizer according to claim 1, comprising a liquid crystal polymer layer.
Child . 8. claims and the linear polarization member and the first retardation member are laminated via an adhesive layer or a planarizing layer
Item 2. The polarizing element according to item 1 . 9. The method for manufacturing a polarizing element according to claim 1 , wherein one of the two types of regions is provided on a linear polarizing member for converting the incident light into linearly polarized light. A step of providing a first retardation member on the opposite side of the first retardation member from the linearly polarizing member, and a second step over the one region and the other region where the first retardation member is not provided. A method of manufacturing a polarizing element, which comprises a step of laminating retardation members. 10. When forming the first retardation member, after forming the first retardation member forming film, the first retardation member forming film is subjected to a wet etching method, a dry etching method, and excimer laser irradiation. or it is patterned by sandblasting 請 forming the first retardation member
The method for manufacturing a polarizing element according to claim 9 . Upon 11. forming the first retardation member, after forming an orientation layer with one of the alignment regulating force in the area of the linearly polarized member on the alignment layer with the alignment regulating force, the single-layer Alternatively, by providing a liquid crystal polymer layer composed of a plurality of layers, the liquid crystal
Claim for forming a first retardation member by the polymer layer
9. The method for manufacturing a polarizing element according to item 9 . 12. When forming the alignment layer having the alignment regulating force, a film for forming the alignment layer is formed, a part of the film for forming the alignment layer is covered with a photosensitive resin, and a rubbing treatment is performed to form the film. The method of manufacturing a polarizing element according to claim 11, wherein a portion not covered with the functional resin is an alignment layer having the alignment regulating force. 13. When forming an alignment layer having an alignment regulating force, a film for forming an alignment layer is formed, a rubbing treatment is performed on the entire surface of the film for forming an alignment layer, and then the film for forming the alignment layer is formed. The method for producing a polarizing element according to claim 11, wherein a part of the film that is not irradiated with far ultraviolet rays is used as an alignment layer having the alignment controlling force by irradiating a part of the film with deep ultraviolet rays to reduce the alignment controlling force. 14. A liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal material is sandwiched between a pair of substrates, wherein one of the pair of substrates has a liquid crystal material side or a side opposite to the liquid crystal material .
The polarizing element according to any one of the above is disposed, and the polarizing element
First retardation member and second position of optical element provided in child
The phase difference member has a strut corresponding to the pixel width of the display panel.
An image display device configured to enable two-dimensional or three-dimensional image display by being alternately arranged in a Y-shape . 15. The image display device of claim 14, the microlens array on the opposite side is disposed to the liquid crystal material side or the liquid crystal material of the polarizing element.