Surface light source apparatus comprising a light-distribution control element having a diffusion part and liquid crystal display having the same

A surface light source apparatus, comprising:

• a light source;
• a holding substrate having a main surface on which said light source is held;
• a light-distribution control element disposed on said main surface of said holding substrate having a light incident surface that covers said light source and a light emitting surface from which light incident on the light incident surface is emitted outside of the light-distribution control element, the light emitting surface being positioned opposite to said light source with respect to the light incident surface;
• said light-distribution control element changing distribution of light emitted from said light source;
• and
• a diffuser that diffuses light emitted from said light-distribution control element, wherein
• said light-distribution control element includes a diffusion part disposed at an installation surface, separate from the light incident surface and the light emitting surface, of the light-distribution control element that can abut said main surface of said holding substrate,
• said light distribution control element is wider than said holding substrate, and
• said installation surface at which said diffusion part is disposed has a portion in contact with said main surface of said holding substrate and a portion extending from the portion in contact with said main surface to outside of said holding substrate and protruding outside of said main surface.