Method of manufacturing liquid crystal layer

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal layer comprising:

• an alignment film forming step of forming an alignment film on a support;
• a liquid crystal alignment layer alignment step of laminating a first liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable liquid crystal compound on the alignment film and aligning the first liquid crystal composition;
• a liquid crystal alignment layer forming step of polymerizing the aligned first liquid crystal composition to form a liquid crystal alignment layer;
• a liquid crystal layer alignment step of laminating a second liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable liquid crystal compound on a surface of the liquid crystal alignment layer opposite to the alignment film and aligning the second liquid crystal composition;
• a liquid crystal layer forming step of polymerizing the aligned second liquid crystal composition to form a liquid crystal layer;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer separation step of separating the formed liquid crystal layer from the liquid crystal alignment layer,
• wherein the liquid crystal layer alignment step to the liquid crystal layer separation step are repeated to repeatedly prepare multiple liquid crystal layers,
• a peelable layer is not provided between the liquid crystal layer formed in the liquid crystal layer forming step and the liquid crystal alignment layer, and
• one of the liquid crystal alignment layer and the liquid crystal layer is a polymeric layer formed from polymerization of an acrylate material, and another of the liquid crystal alignment layer and the liquid crystal layer is a polymeric layer formed from polymerization of an epoxy material.