A method for producing a cholesteric liquid crystal layer is a method that can produce a cholesteric liquid crystal layer whose reflection surface is not parallel to a substrate surface by a simple method. The method includes: a step 1 of forming a composition layer satisfying a condition 1, a condition 2, or a condition 3 on a substrate, using a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound; and a step 2 of subjecting the composition layer to a treatment for cholesterically aligning the liquid crystal compound in the composition layer to form a cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

Provided is an optically anisotropic layer with which an image display device having suppressed occurrence of oblique light leakage can be manufactured; and an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each having the optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is obtained by curing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a predetermined rod-like liquid crystal compound and a predetermined monofunctional compound, and immobilizing an alignment state of the rod-like liquid crystal compound, in which a number a1 of atoms of the rod-like liquid crystal compound and a number a2 of atoms of the monofunctional compound satisfy a relationship of Expression (1): 0.2<a2/a1≤0.68, and the rod-like liquid crystal compound is immobilized in a state of being vertically aligned with respect to the main surface of the optically anisotropic layer.

Provided is a liquid crystal composition that is capable of forming a light absorption anisotropic film having a high degree of alignment, excellent moisture-heat resistance, and excellent alignment uniformity, a light absorption anisotropic film, a laminate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound, a first dichroic substance having a structure represented by Formula (1), and a second dichroic substance having a structure represented by Formula (2).

##STR00001##

An optical element includes a light guide plate, an incidence portion, and an emission portion, in which each of the incidence portion and the emission portion includes diffraction portions, the diffraction portion includes diffraction elements, the diffraction element includes a liquid crystal diffraction layer in which a direction of an optical axis of a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in one in-plane direction, and in a case where the direction in which the direction of the optical axis changes is set as an in-plane rotation direction and a length over which the optical axis rotates by 180° is set as an in-plane period, in-plane rotation directions of liquid crystal diffraction layers of incidence diffraction elements in at least two of a plurality of the incidence diffraction portions are different from each other.

Provided is a composition capable of forming an optically anisotropic film exhibiting reverse wavelength dispersibility and an Nz factor of about 0.50 (0.40 to 0.60); as well as an optically anisotropic, a circularly polarizing plate, and a display device. The composition includes a non-colorable rod-like compound having an acid group or a salt thereof, a non-colorable plate-like compound having an acid group or a salt thereof, and a salt consisting of a cation and an anion, and exhibiting lyotropic liquid crystallinity, in which a ratio W obtained by Expression (W) is 0.25 to 1.75, and a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 230 to 400 nm of the rod-like compound is smaller than a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 230 to 400 nm of the plate-like compound.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Ratio}W=\frac{\left(C1+C2+C3\right)-\left(A1+A2\right)}{A2}& \left(W\right)\end{array}$

Provided is a polymerizable liquid crystal composition capable of suppressing the generation of precipitates; and an optically anisotropic layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition contains a forward wavelength dispersion liquid crystal compound A having an aromatic ring having 10 or more π electrons and a forward wavelength dispersion liquid crystal compound B having an aromatic ring having 6 or more and less than 10 π electrons.

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.

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.

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.

Provided is a spectacle lens having, on at least one side of a lens substrate, a polarizing layer containing a dichromic pigment, and a photochromic layer containing a photochromic pigment, and having the polarizing layer and the photochromic layer via an intermediate layer.