Elliptically Polarizing Plate and Image Display Apparatus Using the Same

Abstract

Provided is a very thin elliptically polarizing plate having broadband and wide viewing angle, a simple method of producing the same, and an image display apparatus using the elliptically polarizing plate. An elliptically polarizing plate of the present invention includes a polarizer, a protective layer formed on one side of the polarizer, a first birefringent layer serving as a λ/2 plate, and a second birefringent layer serving as a λ/4 plate in the stated order. In the plate, an absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the first birefringent layer form an angle α of one of 10° to 20° and −10° to −20°, and the absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the second birefringent layer form an angle β of one of 65° to 85° and 5° to 25°.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.