Optical element, liquid crystal display device, and projection-type image display device

An optical element, comprising

• a transparent substrate;
• and
• a polarizer on one side of the transparent substrate, and
• comprising a phase difference compensation element on a side of the transparent substrate opposite from the polarizer,
• wherein the polarizer comprises a wire grid structure, and comprises a grid-shaped convex portion that is arranged on the transparent substrate at a pitch shorter than a wavelength of light in a used bandwidth, the grid-shaped convex portion extending in a predetermined direction,
• wherein the grid-shaped convex portion comprises a linear metal layer, a first dielectric layer, and an absorption layer, in that order starting on the transparent substrate side, and a whole of the surface of the grid-shaped convex portion is covered by a second dielectric layer,
• wherein the phase difference compensation element comprises a matching layer having a phase difference and an optically anisotropic layer, in that order starting on the transparent substrate side,
• wherein the matching layer having a phase difference is a dielectric film laminated body formed of dielectrics of two or more types having different refractive indices, and
• wherein the optically anisotropic layer includes a plurality of birefringent films whereon inorganic material is deposited.