Liquid crystal cured layer, production method therefor, optical film, polarizing plate, and display device

A liquid crystal cured layer formed of a cured product of a liquid crystal composition, wherein

• the liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound having a reverse wavelength dispersion property, and a copolymer containing a monomer unit A including a monovalent group containing an aromatic ring and a monomer unit B containing a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having a substituent,
• the polymerizable liquid crystal compound in the liquid crystal cured layer has a main chain mesogen,
• the liquid crystal cured layer has a layer plane,
• the main chain mesogen is oriented at a tilt angle of 85° to 90° with respect to the layer plane of the liquid crystal cured layer,
• the monomer unit A is represented by the following formula (A):
• where
• Ra1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• each of Xa1 and Xa2 independently represents a divalent linking group;
• Ra2 represents at least one selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a cyano group, and an isocyanate group;
• n1 represents an integer of 1 to 14;
• n2 represents an integer of 1 or 2;
• and
• n3 represents an integer of 1 or 2, and
• the monomer unit B is represented by the following formula (B):
• where
• Rb1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• Xb1 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group;
• and
• Rb2 represents a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having a substituent.