A compound represented by the General Formula (I) as defined herein, in which, in the General Formula (I), P.sup.1 and P.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, —CN, —NCS, or a polymerizable group, Sp.sup.1 and Sp.sup.2 each independently represent a single bond or a divalent linking group as defined herein, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2 and Z.sup.3 each independently represent a particular linking group as defined herein, X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 each independently represent a single bond or —S as defined herein, k represents an integer of 2 to 4, m and n each independently represent an integer of 0 to 3 as defined herein, A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3, and A.sup.4 each independently represent a particular group as defined herein is provided.

A polarizing plate and an optical display apparatus including the same are provided. A polarizing plate includes: a polarizer; and a first optically functional layer and a first protective layer sequentially stacked on a surface of the polarizer, and the optically functional layer includes a resin layer and acicular microparticles, the resin layer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of −70° C. to −15° C. and a storage modulus of 1×10.sup.−3 MPa to 9×10.sup.−1 MPa at 25° C., and the acicular microparticles being oriented in an in-plane direction of the first optically functional layer, and, when a light absorption axis of the polarizer is 0°, orientation angles of longitudinal directions of the acicular microparticles with respect to the light absorption axis of the polarizer have an average value of −10° to +10° and a standard deviation of 15° or less.

An optical device includes a reflector-section that includes a light-ingress surface for receiving light from a light source, a reflector surface for reflecting the light based on total internal reflection, and a light-egress surface through which the reflected light exits the optical device. When the light source is at a predetermined position with respect to the optical device, an angle of incidence (θ.sub.i) of the light at the light-egress surface is a polarization angle at which a p-polarized component of the light is transmitted through the light-egress surface without being reflected by the light-egress surface. Thus, unwanted reflections at the light-egress surface can be reduced and thereby unwanted scattering of light is reduced while having good transmitting efficacy.

An optical device can comprise wires 12 on a face of a substrate 11, with channel(s) 13 between adjacent wires 12. Each wire 12 can include embedded organic moieties. Each wire 12 can include multiple ribs 31. Part or all of the wire 12, the substrate 11, or both can have a high refractive index n and a low extinction coefficient k. The optical device can have reduced separation of layers of different materials during flexing and temperature changes. The optical device can be manufactured by a method designed for improved manufacturability.

A foldable display device includes a display panel, a protective base disposed on a top surface of the display panel, a polarizing plate disposed on a top surface of the protective base, a light blocking layer disposed at an edge of a top surface of the polarizing plate, and a hard coating layer for covering the polarizing plate and the light blocking layer and including a UV absorbent.

Provided are an optical film, a circularly polarizing plate, and an image display apparatus in each of which the occurrence of cracks is suppressed in the obtained film in a case of being punched. The optical film includes a stretched resin film and a liquid crystal layer formed by fixing a liquid crystal compound twist-aligned along a helical axis extending along a direction in thickness, in which a δa value calculated using a three-dimensional solubility parameter of a resin in the stretched resin film is 8.0 MPa.sup.1/2 or less, the liquid crystal layer contains a cured substance of a polyfunctional compound having two or more polymerizable groups in one molecule, and an absolute value of a difference between the δa value calculated using the three-dimensional solubility parameter of the polyfunctional compound and the δa value calculated using the three-dimensional solubility parameter of the resin is 4.0 MPa.sup.1/2 or less.

An optical coating has a siloxane polymer and noble metal particles. The coating has an index of refraction that is different for in-plane and out-of-plane. The coating has reverse optical dispersion within the visible wavelength range, and preferably a maximum absorption peak between 400-1000 nm wavelength range is greater than 700 nm. In one example the metal particles are noble metal nanorods having an average particle width of less than 400 nm.

A polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing two polymerizable liquid crystal compounds (A) and (B) is provided. A polymer of compound (A) exhibits a reverse wavelength dispersion property and the phase difference value [R(A,3000,450)] at a wavelength of 450 nm measured after irradiation in an oriented state with ultraviolet ray at 3000 mJ/cm.sup.2 varies in a positive sense relative to the phase difference value [R(A,500,450)] at a wavelength of 450 nm measured after irradiation in an oriented state with ultraviolet ray at 500 mJ/cm.sup.2. A polymer of compound (B) exhibits a reverse wavelength dispersion property and the phase difference value [R(B,3000,450)] at a wavelength of 450 nm measured after irradiation in an oriented state with ultraviolet ray at 3000 mJ/cm.sup.2 varies in a negative sense relative to the phase difference value [R(B,500,450)] at a wavelength of 450 nm measured after irradiation in an oriented state with ultraviolet ray at 500 mJ/cm.sup.2.

Dual or multi-modulation display system are disclosed that comprise projector systems with at least one modulator that may employ non-mechanical beam steering modulation. Many embodiments disclosed herein employ a non-mechanical beam steering and/or polarizer to provide for a highlights modulator.

Aluminum oxide provides, at a thickness of 5 mm, an internal transmittance of 90% or higher for light at a wavelength of 193 nm.