Patent ID: 7948593
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: G02F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A projector comprising: an optical modulator including a liquid crystal cell that includes a liquid crystal operating in a twist nematic mode, a first optical element formed of an optical material having positive uniaxiality, a second optical element formed of an optical material having positive uniaxiality, a third optical element that includes at least one optical film formed of an optical material having a refractive index anisotropy, and a pair of polarization elements between which the liquid crystal cell and the first to third optical elements are disposed; an adjustment mechanism that makes it possible to adjust an optical azimuth of a first group, which has at least one of the first optical element, the second optical element, and at least one optical film included in the third optical element, with respect to a fixed optical azimuth of a second group as a remainder excluding any element included in the first group among the first to third optical elements, the first and second groups being disposed on a same side of the liquid crystal cell; a light source that generates light for illuminating the optical modulator; and a projection optical system that projects the light that has passed through the optical modulator, the first and second optical elements having thicknesses for cooperating to effectively cancel components in a plane parallel to the incidence surface and the emission surface in liquid crystal retardation due to a liquid crystal present near the incidence surface and the emission surface in the liquid crystal cell, and the third optical element having a thickness for effectively canceling components in a direction perpendicular to the incidence surface and the emission surface in the liquid crystal retardation and canceling concomitant retardation concerning the direction perpendicular to the incidence surface and the emission surface due to the first and second optical elements.