Method of producing optical element and apparatus for producing optical element

A method of producing an optical element which includes a base material having light transmittance and a birefringence layer capable of birefringence light and laminated on a surface of the base material, the method comprising:

• a coating step of coating the surface of the base material with a birefringence layer composition liquid containing liquid crystal having polymerizability and an additive containing an orienting agent for imparting orientation to a liquid crystal molecule to form a coating film;
• an orienting step of imparting orientation to each of liquid crystal molecules in the coating film;
• a crosslinking step of subjecting the liquid crystal molecules to a crosslinking polymerization reaction while maintaining the orientation of each of the liquid crystal molecules;
• a baking step of baking the base material having formed thereon the coating film containing the liquid crystal that has been subjected to crosslinking polymerization to form the birefringence layer in which a birefringence layer-covering layer is formed to cover the birefringence layer and a light diffusion layer for diffusing light that has passed through the birefringence layer is formed in a direction from a surface layer of the birefringence layer-covering layer toward an interface between the birefringence layer-covering layer and the birefringence layer;
• and
• a covering layer removing step of removing at least the light diffusion layer out of the birefringence layer-covering layer to be formed in the baking step.