Described herein are embodiments of squarylium compounds for use as filters in light-emitting and/or display devices. One problem of known quarylium dyes is that strong nucleophiles can attack the electron-deficient cyclobutene ring which can lead to a loss of the dye's colour. Another potential drawback with squaraine dyes can be their tendency to form aggregates, which can lead to a substantial broadening of their absorption bands. Use of the present compounds in filters address these problems. The squarylium compounds of the present invention have the following formulas: ##STR00001##

Provided is a polarizing film with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that can contribute to the widening of the color gamut of an image display apparatus, the polarizing film with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer being suppressed in brightness reduction and being excellent in durability. The polarizing film with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the present invention includes a polarizer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer arranged on at least one side of the polarizer. A distance between the polarizer and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 25 μm or less. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has an absorption peak in a wavelength band in the range of from 580 nm to 610 nm. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains a compound X represented by the general formula (I) or the general formula (II).

Provided is an optically functional film that can contribute to the widening of the color gamut of an image display apparatus, the optically functional film being suppressed in brightness reduction and being excellent in durability. The optically functional film of the present invention includes an optically functional layer having a moisture permeability of 100 g/m.sup.2 or less, wherein the optically functional layer has an absorption peak in a wavelength band in a range of from 580 nm to 610 nm, and wherein the optically functional layer contains a compound X represented by the general formula (I) or the general formula (II).

Provided is an optically functional film that can contribute to the widening of the color gamut of an image display apparatus, the optically functional film being suppressed in brightness reduction and being excellent in durability. The optically functional film of the present invention includes: a resin layer; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer arranged on at least one side of the resin layer, wherein the resin layer and/or the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains, as coloring matters, a compound X represented by the general formula (I) or (II) and a compound Y having an absorption peak in a wavelength band in a range of from 400 nm to 700 nm, which are mixed with each other.

Described herein are embodiments of squarylium compounds for use as filters in light-emitting and/or display devices. One problem of known quarylium dyes is that strong nucleophiles can attack the electron-deficient cyclobutene ring which can lead to a loss of the dye's colour. Another potential drawback with squaraine dyes can be their tendency to form aggregates, which can lead to a substantial broadening of their absorption bands. Use of the present compounds in filters address these problems. The squarylium compounds of the present invention have the following formulas:

##STR00001##

Provided is a circularly polarizing plate that is excellent in antireflection characteristic, and that can be produced at low cost. The circularly polarizing plate of the present invention includes in the stated order: a polarizer; a retardation layer (20a) configured to function as a /4 plate; and a colored layer, wherein an angle formed by an absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the retardation layer (20a) is from 35 to 55, wherein the colored layer has an absorption peak in a wavelength band in a range of from 580 nm to 610 nm, and wherein the colored layer contains a compound X represented by the general formula (I) or the general formula (II).

Provided is an optical laminate having the following feature: when the optical laminate is used in an image display apparatus, the optical laminate can express a sufficient brightness, can express a satisfactory hue, and can achieve a cost reduction while suppressing a reflectance. The optical laminate of the present invention includes: a wavelength conversion layer; and an absorption layer arranged on one side of the wavelength conversion layer, wherein the absorption layer has an absorption peak in a wavelength band in a range of from 580 nm to 610 nm, and wherein the absorption layer contains a compound x represented by the general formula (I) or the general formula (II).

A seal member (10) fanned in a strip shape having one side as a long side in plan view, the seal member (10) comprising a substrate (11), a resin layer (12) provided to one surface of the substrate (11), and a release sheet (13) provided on the resin layer (12), the resin layer (12) including a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (121), the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (121) having a plurality of pressure-sensitive part rows configured from one or more pressure-sensitive parts extending in the length direction of the substrate (11), and the pressure-sensitive part rows being separated from one another in the width direction of the substrate (11).