A polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
(the symbols in the general formula (1) are as described in the DESCRIPTION.)

To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

An optical film suppresses at any azimuthal angle where the optical film is combined with a polarizer and applied as a circularly polarizing plate to a display device; a circularly polarizing plate; and a display device. The optical film includes a first, a second, and a third optically anisotropic layer in this order, in which the first layer is formed by fixing a vertically aligned disk-like liquid crystal compound or formed by fixing a horizontally aligned rod-like liquid crystal compound, the secondo layer is formed by fixing a rod-like liquid crystal compound twist-aligned along a helical axis extending in a thickness direction, the third layer is formed by fixing a vertically aligned rod-like liquid crystal compound, and at least one of the first, second, or third layers is formed of a liquid crystal compound containing a reverse wavelength dispersion liquid crystal compound.

An optical film suppresses at any azimuthal angle where the optical film is combined with a polarizer and applied as a circularly polarizing plate to a display device; a circularly polarizing plate; and a display device. The optical film includes a first, a second, and a third optically anisotropic layer in this order, in which the first layer is formed by fixing a vertically aligned disk-like liquid crystal compound or formed by fixing a horizontally aligned rod-like liquid crystal compound, the second layer is formed by fixing a rod-like liquid crystal compound twist-aligned along a helical axis extending in a thickness direction, the third layer is formed by fixing a vertically aligned rod-like liquid crystal compound, and at least one of the first, second, or third layers is formed of a liquid crystal compound containing a reverse wavelength dispersion liquid crystal compound.

An optical element includes an optically-anisotropic layer that is formed of a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group, in which a ratio of a bend elastic constant K33 to a splay elastic constant K11 in the liquid crystal composition satisfies 0.8≤K33/K11≤1.2 at any temperature of a nematic temperature range, and the optically-anisotropic layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction.

Provided is a low-cost image display apparatus that has asymmetry in the display characteristics in the right-to-left direction, displays a clear image to the driver, exhibits an appropriate viewing angle control function that reduces reflected glare on the window glass, and is thinly made While causing no moire, and there are also provided an information display system for a vehicle, and an optical film. The image display apparatus includes a viewing-side polarizing plate, a liquid crystal cell, a backlight-side polarizing plate, an optical film, and a backlight in this order, in which the optical film includes an optically anisotropic layer and a polarizer in this order from the liquid crystal cell side, the absorption axis of the backlight-side polarizing plate and the absorption axis of the polarizer are parallel or orthogonal to each other, the optically anisotropic layer is optically uniaxially anisotropic, while in a case where the optic axis of the optically anisotropic layer is projected onto the polarizer as viewed from the viewing-side of the image display apparatus, the azimuthal angle of the optic axis is +50° to +70° or −50° to −70° with respect to the horizontal direction, the average tilt angle of the optic axis with respect to the main surface of the optically anisotropic layer is 20° to 45°, and the in-plane phase difference Re (550) of the optically anisotropic layer is 70 nm to 240 nm.

A polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

(the symbols in the general formula (1) are as described in the DESCRIPTION.)

To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

The present invention provides a polymerizable compound that reduces, for example, the likelihood of crystals precipitating in a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound and enables the polymerizable composition to have high preservation stability and a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound which reduces the likelihood of inconsistencies being formed in a film-like polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition. Also provided are a polymer-produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer. The present invention provides the compound represented by General Formula (I), a composition including the compound, a polymer produced by polymerizing the composition, and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer.

A laminated film includes a plurality of optically anisotropic layers, excellent in transparency, with few point defects, and exhibits little reflected light where the laminated film is applied to a display device brought into a black display state; and a circularly polarizing plate. The laminated film includes first, second, third, and fourth optically anisotropic layers, in order, in which the first, second, third, and fourth optically anisotropic layers are each formed by fixing an aligned liquid crystal compound, an adhesion layer selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer, and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is provided on only one of between the first and second optically anisotropic layers, between the second and third optically anisotropic layers, and between the third and fourth optically anisotropic layers, and the laminated film has a minimum transmittance of 60% or more in a wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm.