Display device

A display device:

• comprising a display that displays an image based on an image signal and that also functions as a see-through display,
• wherein the display includes
• a light source that emits light including a first polarization wave and a second polarization wave, the second polarization wave having a polarization axis orthogonal to a polarization axis of the first polarization wave,
• a light guide plate that emits the light from the light source toward a display surface side and a rear surface side of the display,
• a light scattering switching element disposed on a rear surface of the light guide plate, the light scattering switching element having a transmitting mode in which the light scattering switching element outputs an incident polarization wave without converting a polarization state of the incident polarization wave and a scattering mode in Which the light scattering switching element carries out a conversion to cause a ratio of the first polarization wave and the second polarization wave to approach 1:1 and outputs the first polarization wave and the second polarization wave,
• a reflective polarization plate disposed on a rear surface of the light scattering switching element, and
• a first polarization plate, a polarization modulating element, and a second polarization plate that are disposed in this order from the light guide plate toward the a front surface side,
• wherein the polarization modulating element includes a plurality of pixels to which a voltage can be applied, controls a polarization state of the first polarization wave or the second polarization wave incident on the pixels with the voltage, and outputs the first polarization wave or the second polarization wave, and
• wherein the reflective polarization plate and the first polarization plate transmit one polarization wave of the first polarization wave and the second polarization wave, and the second polarization plate transmits the other polarization wave.