Optical element, light guide element, and ar display device

An optical element, comprising:

• a cholesteric liquid crystal layer including a first cholesteric liquid crystal layer and a second cholesteric liquid crystal layer stacked on the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer,
• the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer each containing a polymer of a polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a chiral agent,
• the cholesteric liquid crystal layer including a first region which is closer to a first end portion than to a central portion in a first direction within a plane, and a second region which is closer to a second end portion than to the central portion in the first direction,
• the cholesteric liquid crystal layer satisfying one of the following conditions:
• the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a shorter helical pitch in the first region than in the second region and the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a longer helical pitch in the first region than in the second region;
• or
• the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a longer helical pitch in the first region than in the second region and the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a shorter helical pitch in the first region than in the second region.