Provided are a polarized light splitting element, a method of manufacturing the same, a light radiating device, a method of radiating light, and a method of manufacturing an ordered photo-alignment film. The polarized light splitting element has excellent durability with respect to UV rays and heat, and low pitch dependence of polarization characteristics, so that it is easily manufactured. In addition, the polarized light splitting element may realize a high polarization degree and extinction ratio even in a short wavelength region.

An optical inspection system includes one or more gratings to convert the polarization of light scattered from a target from an elliptical polarization that varies spatially across a collection pupil to a linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil. The one or more gratings have phase retardation that varies spatially across the collection pupil in accordance with the elliptical polarization. The one or more gratings include at least one grating on a reflective substrate. The optical inspection system also includes a linear polarizer to filter out the linearly polarized light.

Provided is a method for producing a light absorption anisotropic film having a three-dimensional shape and having excellent alignment, which is capable of manufacturing a light absorption anisotropic film having a high degree of polarization even where a three-dimensional shape is provided by heating molding. The method includes a step of producing an intermediate laminate having an optical coating film formed using a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound and a dichroic substance, and an alignment film; a step of heating the intermediate laminate produced by the film forming step to impart a three-dimensional shape; an aligning step of aligning a liquid crystalline component included in the optical coating film in the intermediate laminate imparted with the three-dimensional shape by the heating molding step to produce a light absorption anisotropic film; and a step of curing the light absorption anisotropic film produced by the aligning step.

Provided is an optical laminate including an optically anisotropic layer having at least two regions having different visibility correction transmittances, in which the visibility correction transmittance in a region having a high transmittance is further improved. An optical laminate including: at least a first region and a second region having different values of visibility correction transmittance; and a protective layer having a thickness of 5 m or less, an orientation layer, and a light absorption anisotropic layer provided in this order, wherein the second region is a region in which the visibility correction transmittance is higher than that of the first region, and the light absorption anisotropic layer is a layer including a liquid crystal composition containing a dichroic dye, and includes the first region and the second region.

A method for producing a light absorption anisotropic film that includes a film forming step of producing an intermediate laminate having an optical coating film formed using a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound and a dichroic substance, and an alignment film; a heating molding step of heating the intermediate laminate produced by the film forming step to impart one of a curved shape on a whole or a part of the intermediate laminate, or an irregular shape on one surface or both surfaces of the intermediate laminate; an aligning step of aligning a liquid crystalline component included in the optical coating film in the intermediate laminate imparted with one of the curved shape or the irregular shape by the heating molding step to produce a light absorption anisotropic film; and a curing step of curing the light absorption anisotropic film produced by the aligning step.

An optically anisotropic film exhibiting reverse wavelength dispersibility and an Nz factor of about 0.50 (0.40 to 0.60) is formed of a lyotropic liquid crystalline composition containing non-colorable rod-like and plate-like compounds, where a measurement to obtain an ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum by applying linearly polarized light is carried out by changing light direction and assuming that an absorbance at a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 230 to 400 nm of the rod-like compound is highest at a first direction, and of the plate-like compound is highest at a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other, the maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 230 to 400 nm of the rod-like compound is smaller than that of the plate-like compound, and Nz.sup.P represented by Expression (N) Nz.sup.P=(nx.sup.Pnz.sup.P)/(nx.sup.Pny.sup.P) of the plate-like compound is negative.

Provided is an optically anisotropic film having favorable black tightness when the optically anisotropic film is disposed on a display element as a circularly polarizing plate in combination with a polarizer and an obtained display device is viewed from an oblique direction; as well as a circularly polarizing plate and a display device. The optically anisotropic film is formed of a composition containing a non-colorable lyotropic liquid crystal compound, in which an Nz factor of the optically anisotropic film satisfies a relationship of Expression (1) 0.40Nz factor0.60 and the optically anisotropic film satisfies a relationship of Expression (2) 0.60Re(450)/Re(550)0.90. In Expressions (1) and (2) Re(450) represents an in-plane retardation of the optically anisotropic film at a wavelength of 450 nm, and Re(550) represents the in-plane retardation of the optically anisotropic film at a wavelength of 550 nm.

An optical inspection system includes one or more single-material gratings to convert the polarization of light scattered from a target from an elliptical polarization that varies spatially across a collection pupil to a linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil. The one or more single-material gratings have phase retardation that varies spatially across the collection pupil in accordance with the elliptical polarization. The optical inspection system also includes a linear polarizer to filter out the linearly polarized light.

A polarizing plate and an optical display apparatus are disclosed. The polarizing plate includes: a polarizer; and a first bonding layer and a first retardation layer sequentially stacked on a lower surface of the polarizer. The first retardation layer has a light transmittance of 1.0% or less in the UVA wavelength range. The first bonding layer includes a cured product of a non-(meth)acrylic composition including a curable compound and a photoinitiator, and the curable compound includes an epoxy compound, the epoxy compound including a mixture of a bifunctional alicyclic epoxy compound, a bifunctional aromatic epoxy compound, and a bifunctional aliphatic epoxy compound. The photoinitiator includes a mixture of an iodonium-based photo-acid generator and an anthracene-based photosensitizer, the anthracene-based photosensitizer being present in an amount of 0.5 parts by weight or more relative to 100 parts by weight of the curable compound.

A method includes illuminating a target and collecting light scattered from the illuminated target. The collected light scattered from the illuminated target has an elliptical polarization that varies spatially across a collection pupil. The method also includes converting the polarization of the collected light from the elliptical polarization that varies spatially across the collection pupil to a linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil, using one or more single-material gratings. The one or more single-material gratings have phase retardation that varies spatially across the collection pupil in accordance with the elliptical polarization. The method further includes filtering out the light having the linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil, using a linear polarizer.