Light absorption anisotropic layer, optical film, viewing angle control system, and image display device

Abstract

A light absorption anisotropic layer which has high contrast and can suppress hue change of an image reflected by surroundings relative to an original image when used in a viewing angle control system, an optical film using the light absorption anisotropic layer, a viewing angle control system, and an image display device. The light absorption anisotropic layer is formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound, a dichroic substance, and an alignment agent. The liquid crystalline compound is in a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase, a content of the dichroic substance is 5.0% by mass or more with respect to a total solid content mass of the liquid crystal composition, and an angle θ between a transmittance central axis of the light absorption anisotropic layer and a normal direction of a surface of the light absorption anisotropic layer is between 0° and 45°.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.