An optical element is provided. The optical element includes a positive-C film including a liquid crystal (“LC”) layer. The optical element also includes a positive-A film. The optical element also includes a negative biaxial retardation film disposed between the positive-A film and the positive-C film.

A retardation film includes a polyester-series resin exhibiting a negative orientation birefringence and a forward wavelength dispersibility in retardation in combination with a polyamide-series resin exhibiting a positive orientation birefringence and a flat dispersibility in retardation. The polyester-series resin may contain a constitutional unit having a fluorene-9,9-diyl group, and the polyamide-series resin may contain a constitutional unit having an alicyclic skeleton. The polyester-series resin may contain at least one constitutional unit selected from a fluorenedicarboxylic acid unit (A1) containing a unit of the formula (1) and a fluorenediol unit (B1) containing a unit of the formula (2):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a substituent; k and m each denote an integer of 0 to 8; X.sup.1a, X.sup.1b, X.sup.2a, and X.sup.2b each represent a hydrocarbon group; A.sup.1a and A.sup.1b each represent an alkylene group; n1 and n2 each denote an integer of not less than 0. The retardation film has both a high retardation expression and a reciprocal wavelength dispersibility.

Provided are an optical biaxially stretched plastic film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device that can suppress blackouts when viewed with polarized sunglasses, polarized goggles or the like without increasing the in-plane phase difference. In addition, a method for selecting an optical biaxially stretched plastic film is provided.

The optical biaxially stretched plastic film has a region satisfying condition 1 and condition 2 below:

<Condition 1> the difference between a luminance obtained in a specific measurement 1 and a luminance obtained in a specific measurement 2 (L1.n−L2.n) is calculated at each of 100 measurement points, and the “luminance difference variation 3σ” calculated from the luminance differences at the 100 measurement points is 100 or more; and
<Condition 2> the in-plane phase difference (Re) is 2500 nm or less.

Provided is a liquid crystal display device, comprising an upper polarizer, an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal panel, and a lower polarizer. The in-plane switching mode liquid crystal panel comprises a liquid crystal layer having a Rin (550) value in a range of 310 nm to 350 nm. An absorption axis of the upper polarizer and an absorption axis of the lower polarizer are orthogonal. The lower polarizer is adjacent to a light source as compared to the upper polarizer. The liquid crystal display further comprises, as retardation films, a positive biaxial retardation film having a Rin (450)/Rin (550) value in a range of 0.99 to 1.01, and a negative C plate between the upper polarizer and the in-plane switching mode liquid crystal panel.

A compensation film for a liquid crystal film includes a first layer including splayed rod-shaped nematic liquid crystal material and a second layer disposed on a surface of the first layer and including at least one of a biaxial layer and an A-plate.

The phase difference compensation element that is used in combination with a liquid crystal cell provided with a liquid crystal layer in which an optical axis of liquid crystal molecules is inclined and that compensates for a phase difference of light generated in the liquid crystal layer, the phase difference compensation element includes a substrate and a phase difference film having at least one oblique vapor deposition layer on at least one substrate surface of the substrate, and the phase difference compensation element is disposed in an aspect in which an intersecting angle between a slow-axis direction of the phase difference film and a fast-axis direction of the liquid crystal layer, which is a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the inclined optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules is projected onto the substrate surface, is −25° to +25°.

A display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other, a first retarder which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and is a positive C plate and a second retarder which is disposed on an outer side of the second substrate and is a negative biaxial film.

An electronic mirror device includes: a liquid crystal panel that displays an image; a linearly reflective polarizing layer that transmits a polarization component of incident light in a first direction and reflects a polarization component of the incident light in a second direction different from the first direction; a glass that transmits the incident light; and a PET film bonded to the glass. The linearly reflective polarizing layer is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the PET film. The PET film contains polyethylene terephthalate and has a retardation value in a range of 2000 nm or more and 4000 nm or less. An angle between a slow axis of the PET film and a polarization reflection axis of the linearly reflective polarizing layer is 30 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less.

A display apparatus including a backlight module, first and second electrically-controlled elements, electrically-controlled first and second polarizers, a half-wave plate, and a display panel is provided. An included angle between first and second alignment directions of first and second alignment layers of the first electrically-controlled element is between 75 degrees and 105 degrees. An included angle between third and fourth alignment directions of third and fourth alignment layers of the second electrically-controlled element is between 165 degrees and 195 degrees. A first absorption axis of the first polarizer disposed between the backlight module and the first electrically-controlled element is perpendicular to a second absorption axis of the second polarizer disposed between the first and second electrically-controlled elements. The half-wave plate is disposed between the second polarizer and the second electrically-controlled element. The display panel is disposed on the second electrically-controlled element. A method of driving the display apparatus is provided.

A display device, in which a plurality of pixels is defined, includes: a first insulating substrate; a polarizer disposed on a surface of the first insulating substrate; a second insulating substrate which faces the surface of the first insulating substrate; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the polarizer and the second insulating substrate, where the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystals and a dichroic dye.