Abstract:
There is such an issue with the well-known optical element that it is difficult to achieve a high transmittance since the transmittance is determined according to the pattern size of the light transmission regions, so that the luminance of the display device to which such optical element is mounted is deteriorated. Provided is an optical element which employs a structure in which the shape of a conductive pattern where electrophoretic particles cohere in a wide viewing field mode is formed in a comb-like shape and plural stages and plural rows of light transmission regions are disposed in the spaces between the comb teeth. This makes it possible to exclude the electrophoretic particles from the regions other than the comb-like electrode for allowing the light to transmit that part.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2014-186544, filed on Sep. 12, 2014 and Japanese patent application No. 2015-112069, filed on Jun. 2, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an optical element which variably controls the range of exit directions of transmission light, and to a display device, an electronic apparatus, and a lighting device using the same. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Display devices such as liquid crystal display devices, for example, are used as information display modules of various kinds of information processing devices such as mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines), personal computers, and the like. 
         [0006]    Further, as the displays are becoming large-scaled and multi-purposed, various luminous intensity distribution characteristics are required for the display devices. Particularly, there are demands for restricting the visible range so that others cannot peep at the display and a demand for not emitting light to undesired directions from the viewpoint of preventing information leakage. For dealing with such demands, an optical film capable of restricting the visible range (or the emission range) of the display device has been proposed and put into practical use. However, in a case where the display device is viewed from a plurality of directions simultaneously, it is necessary to take out the optical element every time. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for acquiring states of a wide visible range and a narrow visible range arbitrarily without going through a trouble of taking out the optical element. 
         [0007]    For dealing with such demand, an optical element capable of switching the visible range of the display device between a wide viewing field mode and a narrow viewing field mode has been proposed. 
         [0000]    As shown in  FIG. 17A  and  FIG. 17B , this optical element  600  can arbitrarily acquire two states of a wide viewing field mode (see  FIG. 17B ) that is in an emission state of light  65  and a narrow viewing field mode (see  FIG. 17A ) by disposing an electrophoretic element  602  between light-transmission regions  601  of high aspect ratio arranged independently on a substrate two-dimensionally and controlling the dispersion state of the electrophoretic element  602  with the electric field generated by the voltage from outside. For example, it is the optical element acquired by: using a transparent substrate; applying, exposing, developing and curing a transparent photosensitive resin layer by applying heat to form the light transmission regions  601 ; and disposing the electrophoretic element  602  between the light transmission regions  601 . 
         [0008]      FIG. 18  is a sectional view showing an optical element of a related technique. An optical element  900  includes: a transparent substrate  110 ; another transparent conductive film  123  formed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110 ; a plurality of light transmission regions  120  which are formed on the top face of the transparent conductive film  123  by being isolated from each other; electrophoretic elements  140  disposed between those light transmission regions  120 ; and another transparent substrate  115  which is disposed on the light transmission regions  120  and includes a transparent conductive film  125  on the face that is in contact with the light transmission regions  120 . The optical element  900  is disclosed in FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,751,667 B2 (Patent Document 1), for example. 
         [0009]    However, there are following issues in the related technique disclosed in FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1. 
         [0010]    Since both of the transparent conductive film  123  and the transparent conductive film  125  are disposed in a planar manner in the element regions of the transparent substrate  110  and the transparent substrate  115 , transmission of light towards the front face direction is blocked in the region other than the light transmission regions  120  both in the narrow viewing field mode and the wide viewing field mode (see the narrow viewing field mode of  FIG. 24A ,  FIG. 24B  and the wide viewing field mode of  FIG. 25A ,  FIG. 25B ) and the transmittance in the front face direction is determined according to the pattern size of the light transmission regions. Therefore, it is difficult to improve the transmittance more than that. As a result, the luminance of the liquid crystal display device to which the optical element is mounted is deteriorated. 
         [0011]    It is therefore an exemplary object of the present invention to provide an optical element which is capable of increasing the transmittance in the wide viewing field mode than the narrow viewing field mode and capable of suppressing deterioration of the luminance in the wide viewing field mode of the display device to which the optical element is mounted. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The optical element according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes: a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate; a plurality of light transmission regions disposed by being isolated from each other to reach a surface of the second transparent substrate from a surface of the first transparent substrate; a conductive pattern disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions neighboring to each other; a transparent conductive film disposed on a face of the second transparent substrate opposing to the first transparent substrate; and an electrophoretic element disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions, which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material. 
         [0013]    Further, the display device according to another exemplary aspect of the invention includes: a display which includes a display face for displaying videos; and the optical element that is disposed on the display face of the display. 
         [0014]    Furthermore, the electronic apparatus according to still another exemplary aspect of the invention includes the display device loaded as a display module of a main body of the electronic apparatus. 
         [0015]    Further, the lighting device according to still another exemplary aspect of the invention includes: the optical element and a light source that is provided on a back face of the first transparent substrate of the optical element. 
         [0016]    As an exemplary advantage according to the invention, the present invention gathers the electrophoretic particles in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns disposed only in a part of the region sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions in the wide viewing field mode, so that it is possible to exclude the electrophoretic particles from the other regions. Thus, light can be transmitted both from of the region from which the electrophoretic particles are excluded and the light transmission regions. As a result, the transmittance in the wide viewing field mode can be improved. 
         [0000]    Further, deterioration in the luminance of the display device to which the optical element is mounted can be suppressed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show illustrations showing an optical element of a first exemplary embodiment in a narrow viewing field mode, in which  FIG. 1A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optical element that is cut in a face orthogonal to the display face of the optical element and  FIG. 1B  is a surface view showing the display face from the normal direction; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show illustrations showing the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment in a wide viewing field mode, in which  FIG. 2A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optical element that is cut in a face orthogonal to the display face of the optical element and  FIG. 2B  is a surface view showing the display face from the normal direction; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3A-3F  show sectional views of a manufacturing method of the optical element in sequential steps, in which  FIG. 3A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming conductive patterns on the surface of a transparent substrate in a simplified manner,  FIG. 3B  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a transparent photosensitive resin layer in a simplified manner,  FIG. 3C  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of exposing the transparent photosensitive resin layer in a simplified manner,  FIG. 3D  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a plurality of light transmission regions isolated from each other in a simplified manner,  FIG. 3E  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of disposing a transparent substrate including a transparent conductive film on the surface of the light transmission regions in a simplified manner, and  FIG. 3F  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of filling electrophoretic elements in a simplified manner; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 4A-4F  show sectional views of another manufacturing method of the optical element in sequential steps, in which  FIG. 4A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming conductive patterns on the surface of a transparent substrate in a simplified manner,  FIG. 4B  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a transparent photosensitive resin layer in a simplified manner,  FIG. 4C  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of exposing the transparent photosensitive resin layer in a simplified manner,  FIG. 4D  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a plurality of light transmission regions isolated from each other in a simplified manner,  FIG. 4E  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of filling electrophoretic elements in a simplified manner, and  FIG. 4F  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of disposing a transparent substrate including a transparent conductive film on the surface of the light transmission regions in a simplified manner; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5A-5F  show sectional views of still another manufacturing method of the optical element in sequential steps, in which  FIG. 5A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a transparent conductive film on the surface of a transparent substrate in a simplified manner,  FIG. 5B  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming a transparent photosensitive resin layer on the transparent conductive film in a simplified manner,  FIG. 5C  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of patterning the transparent photosensitive resin layer by using a mask pattern in a simplified manner,  FIG. 5D  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of forming light transmission regions by performing development in a simplified manner,  FIG. 5E  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of disposing another transparent substrate on the light transmission regions in a simplified manner, and  FIG. 5F  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a step of filling electrophoretic elements in the space between the transparent substrate and the other transparent substrate in a simplified manner; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element according to a second exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 6A  shows a state of the optical element in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 6B  shows a state of the optical element in a wide viewing field mode; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element according to a third exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 7A  shows a state of the optical element in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 7B  shows a state of the optical element in a wide viewing field mode; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show views of the state of cohesion of the electrophoretic particles in the wide viewing field mode of the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 8A  is a plan view thereof and  FIG. 8B  is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show plan views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 9A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed and  FIG. 9B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show perspective views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 10A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed and  FIG. 10B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 11A-11C  show plan views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 11A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed,  FIG. 11B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed, and  FIG. 11C  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a lengthy rectangular shape are disposed by being isolated from each other in a width direction; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 12A-12C  show perspective views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 12A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed,  FIG. 12B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed, and  FIG. 12C  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a lengthy rectangular shape are disposed by being isolated from each other in a width direction; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 13A and 13B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element according to a fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 13A  shows a state of the optical element in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 13B  shows a state of the optical element in a wide viewing field mode; 
           [0030]      FIGS. 14A and 14B  show illustrations of the positional relations between the light transmission regions, the conductive patterns, and the transparent conductive patterns in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 14A  is a plan view showing the layout of the light transmission regions, the conductive patterns, and the transparent conductive patterns in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment and  FIG. 14B  is a perspective view thereof; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 15A and 15B  show sectional views of a structure of the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment where a protection cover film is formed on the surface of the conductive patterns and the transparent conductive patterns, in which  FIG. 15A  shows a state of the optical element in the narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 15B  shows a state of the optical element in the wide viewing field mode; 
           [0032]      FIGS. 16A and 16B  show sectional views of a structure of the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment where a protection cover film is formed on both the surfaces of the conductive patterns and the transparent conductive patterns and the surface of a transparent conductive film, in which  FIG. 16A  shows a state of the optical element in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 16B  shows a state of the optical element in a wide viewing field mode; 
           [0033]      FIGS. 17A and 17B  show longitudinal sectional views of the principle of the actions of the optical element of a related technique, in which  FIG. 17A  shows a state of electrophoretic elements in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 17B  shows a state of the electrophoretic elements in a wide viewing field mode; 
           [0034]      FIG. 18  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the optical element of the related technique; 
           [0035]      FIG. 19  is a sectional view showing the structure of a display device which includes an optical element according to another exemplary embodiment being provided to a display face; 
           [0036]      FIG. 20  is a sectional view showing the structure of a display device which includes the optical element according to the another exemplary embodiment being fixed to the display face; 
           [0037]      FIG. 21  is a sectional view showing the structure of a display device which includes the optical element according to the another exemplary embodiment loaded inside thereof; 
           [0038]      FIG. 22  is a sectional view showing the structure of a display device which includes the optical element according to the another exemplary embodiment being fixed to the inside thereof; 
           [0039]      FIG. 23  is a sectional view showing the structure of a lighting device to which an optical element according to the another exemplary embodiment is loaded; 
           [0040]      FIGS. 24A and 24B  show illustrations of a state of electrophoretic particles in a narrow viewing field mode of an optical element according to a related technique, in which  FIG. 24A  is a surface view taken from the normal direction of the display face of the optical element regarding the state of the electrophoretic element and  FIG. 24B  is a longitudinal sectional view of the optical element taken along the face that is orthogonal to the display face of the optical element regarding the state of the electrophoretic element; 
           [0041]      FIGS. 25A and 25B  show illustrations of a state of electrophoretic particles in a wide viewing field mode of an optical element according to the related technique, in which  FIG. 25A  is a surface view taken from the normal direction of the display face of the optical element regarding the state of the electrophoretic element and  FIG. 25B  is a longitudinal sectional view of the optical element taken along the face that is orthogonal to the display face of the optical element regarding the state of the electrophoretic element; 
           [0042]      FIGS. 26A-26C  show sectional views of the states of the potentials of the conductive patterns and the transparent conductive film in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 26A  shows the state of the potentials in the narrow viewing field mode,  FIG. 26B  shows the state of the potentials in the wide viewing field mode when the surface charges of the electrophoretic particles are (−), and  FIG. 26C  shows the state of the potentials in a wide viewing field mode when the surface charges of the electrophoretic particles are (+); 
           [0043]      FIGS. 27A and 27B  are illustrations showing electronic apparatuses according to another exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 27A  is an apparatus in which a touch panel is used for input and  FIG. 27B  is an apparatus in which a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse are used for input; 
           [0044]      FIG. 28  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a case where the relative positions of the conductive patterns and the light transmission regions are shifted in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment; 
           [0045]      FIGS. 29A-29C  show sectional views of the states of the potentials of the conductive patterns, the transparent conductive patterns, and the transparent conductive film in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 29A  shows the state of the potentials in the narrow viewing field mode,  FIG. 29B  shows the state of the potentials in the wide viewing field mode when the surface charges of the electrophoretic particles are (−), and  FIG. 29C  shows the state of the potential in the wide viewing field mode when the surface charges of the electrophoretic particles are (+); 
           [0046]      FIG. 30  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a case where the relative positions of the conductive patterns, the transparent conductive patterns, and the light transmission regions are shifted in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment; 
           [0047]      FIGS. 31A and 31B  show plan views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 31A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed and  FIG. 31B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed; 
           [0048]      FIGS. 32A and 32B  show perspective views of the positional relations between the light transmission regions and the conductive patterns in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 32A  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a square shape are disposed and  FIG. 32B  is an example of a case where the light transmission regions with the top and bottom faces being in a rectangular shape are disposed; 
           [0049]      FIGS. 33A and 33B  show illustrations of the positional relations between the light transmission regions, the conductive patterns, and the transparent conductive patterns in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 33A  is a plan view showing the layout of the light transmission regions, the conductive patterns, and the transparent conductive patterns in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment and  FIG. 33B  is a perspective view thereof; 
           [0050]      FIGS. 34A and 34B  show plan views regarding the state of migration of the electrophoretic particles in the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 34A  shows an example of a case where the linear conductive patterns are disposed in a direction same as the direction along which the light transmission regions are arranged in a straight-line form and  FIG. 34B  shows an example of a case where the linear conductive patterns are disposed in a direction rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions are arranged in a straight-line form; and 
           [0051]      FIGS. 35A and 35B  show plan views regarding the state of migration of the electrophoretic particles in the optical element of the fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 35A  shows an example of a case where the linear conductive patterns are disposed in a direction same as the direction along which the light transmission regions are arranged in a straight-line form and  FIG. 35B  shows an example of a case where the linear conductive patterns are disposed in a direction rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions are arranged in a straight-line form. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0052]    Hereinafter, modes for embodying the present invention (referred to as “exemplary embodiments” hereinafter) will be described by referring to the accompanying drawings. Same reference numerals are used for substantially same structural elements in the current Specification and the Drawings. It is to be noted that the dimensions and ratios of the shapes drawn in the Drawings are not necessarily consistent with the actual ones. 
       First Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0053]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show illustrations of an optical element  200  of a first exemplary embodiment in a narrow viewing field mode, in which  FIG. 1A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optical element  200  that is cut in a face orthogonal to the display face of the optical element  200  and  FIG. 1B  is a surface view showing the display face from the normal direction. Further,  FIGS. 2A and 2B  show illustrations of the optical element  200  of the first exemplary embodiment in a wide viewing field mode, in which  FIG. 2A  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optical element  200  that is cut in a face orthogonal to the display face of the optical element  200  and  FIG. 2B  is a surface view showing the display face from the normal direction. The details of the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment will be described hereinafter. 
         [0054]    The optical element  200  of the first exemplary embodiment includes: a first transparent substrate  110 ; a second transparent substrate  115  provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; a plurality of light transmission regions  120  disposed by being isolated from each other to reach the surface of the second transparent substrate  115  from the surface of the first transparent substrate  110 ; conductive patterns  250  disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  in a part of regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 ; a transparent conductive film  125  disposed on the face of the second transparent substrate  115  opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; and electrophoretic elements  140  disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0000]    The light transmission region  120  is a structural body (transparent resin pattern) provided in such a manner that its bottom face  121  and top face  122  reach the transparent substrate  110  and the transparent substrate  115 , respectively. This is also the same in the following exemplary embodiments.
 
The electrophoretic element  140  is a mixture of light-shielding electrophoretic particles  141  of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material  142 .
 
More specifically, the optical element  200  of the first exemplary embodiment includes: the first transparent substrate  110 ; the second transparent substrate  115  provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate  110  with a space provided therebetween; the transparent conductive film  125  disposed on the surface of the second transparent substrate  115  on the side opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  which are disposed in a space between the first transparent substrate  110  and the transparent conductive film  125  in parallel to the display face of the optical element  200  by being isolated from each other in two mutually orthogonal directions, i.e., in the longitudinal and lateral directions of  FIG. 1B , in such a manner that the bottom face  121  thereof abuts against the first transparent substrate  110  and the top face  122  thereof reaches the second transparent substrate  115 ; the conductive patterns  250  disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  in a part of regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 ; and the electrophoretic elements  140  which are disposed to fill the spaces between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  disposed by being isolated from each other regardless of existence of the conductive patterns  250 .
 
The narrow viewing field mode shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  is achieved by dispersing electrophoretic particles  141  in the electrophoretic elements  140  disposed in the spaces between each of the light transmission regions  120  entirely within the dispersion material  142  by setting the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive film  125  to be in a same potential (see  FIG. 26A ). In the meantime, the wide viewing field mode shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  is achieved by cohering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the conductive patterns  250 . For that, the relative potential of the conductive patterns  250  with respect to the transparent conductive film  125  is set to be in an opposite polarity from that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  to generate an electric field between the transparent conductive film  125  and the conductive patterns  250  so as to cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the conductive patterns  250 . That is, through setting the conductive patterns  250  to be in a positive polarity when the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  is (−) (see  FIG. 26B ) and setting the conductive patterns  250  to be in a negative polarity when the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  is (+) (see  FIG. 26C ), i.e., through setting the relative potential of the transparent conductive film  125  with respect to the conductive patterns  250  to be in the same polarity as that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  to cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the conductive patterns  250 , the electrophoretic particles  141  do not exist in the regions where the conductive patterns  250  are not disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110 .
 
As shown in  FIG. 25A  and  FIG. 25B , in a case where both the transparent conductive film  125  on the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner in the element region, i.e., in a case where the transparent conductive film  123  is disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  to include the entire region sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 , the electrophoretic particles  141  in the entire regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  cohere in the vicinity of the surface of the transparent conductive film  123  in the wide viewing field mode. Therefore, the whole surface of the transparent substrate  110  excluding the regions of the light transmission regions  120  is covered by the electrophoretic particles  141 , so that the whole regions other than the light transmission regions  120  are shielded from light.
 
In the meantime, with the structure of the first exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B in which a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  are disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  by being isolated from each other and the conductive patterns  250  are disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 , the light shielding characteristic of the space between the light transmission regions  120  is achieved by dispersing the electrophoretic particles  141  in the electrophoretic elements  140  as shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B in the narrow viewing filed mode. Meanwhile, in the wide viewing field mode, as shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, due to the electric field generated by the transparent conductive film  125  and the conductive pattern  250 , the electrophoretic particles  141  migrate in the dispersion material  142  along the paths between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  that are disposed in the space between the first transparent substrate  110  and the transparent conductive film  125  in parallel to the display face of the optical element  200  and in two directions orthogonal to each other, i.e., isolated in each of the longitudinal directions of  FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 2B , and cohere only in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . As a result, the electrophoretic particles  141  in a part between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  where the conductive pattern  250  is not disposed are excluded as in  FIG. 2B , for example, to be in a state where light can be transmitted.
 
While  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B show the case where the light transmission regions  120  are disposed in a staggered form as a whole, the light transmission regions  120  may be disposed in a grid-like form as shown in  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B.  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B  show the state of the wide viewing field mode where the electrophoretic particles  141  cohere in the vicinity of the conductive patterns  250 .
 
As described, displays of the narrow viewing field mode and the wide viewing field mode can be achieved through controlling the potentials of the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive film  125  by a voltage apply control module  145  as shown in  FIGS. 26A ,  26 B, and  26 C. The voltage apply control module  145  is a module for changing each of the polarities of the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive film  125  by adjusting the voltages to be applied to the conductive pattern  250  and the transparent conductive film  125  according to the signals from outside.
 
         [0055]    While the case where the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles is (−) will be described hereinafter, it is possible to deal with the case where the surface charge is (+) by inverting the polarity of the electrode. 
         [0056]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing a manufacturing method of the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, the outline of an example of the method for manufacturing the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0057]    The manufacturing method of the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment includes following steps. 
         [0058]    A step of forming the conductive patterns  250  on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  (see  FIG. 3A ). 
         [0059]    A step of forming a transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  as a negative photoresist film to be the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 3B ). 
         [0060]    A step of exposing the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  through irradiating exposure light  165  to the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  through a photomask  160  that is provided with a mask pattern  161  (see  FIG. 3C ). At this time, the positions of the photomask  160  and the transparent substrate  110  are controlled so that the position of the conductive patterns  250  overlap with the mask pattern  161 . 
         [0061]    A step of forming a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  which are isolated from each other by developing the exposed transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  (see  FIG. 3D ). The directions of isolation herein are both the left and right directions of  FIG. 3D  and the perpendicular direction of the drawing paper surface of  FIG. 3D , and each of the light transmission regions  120  is formed in an island shape. 
         [0062]    A step of disposing the transparent substrate  115  including the transparent conductive film  125  on the surface of the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 3E ). 
         [0063]    Further, a step of filling the electrophoretic elements  140  in the space between the conductive patterns  250 , the transparent conductive film  125 , and the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 3F ). 
         [0064]    Among those, the orders of the step of disposing the transparent substrate  115  including the transparent conductive film  125  on the surface of the light transmission regions  120  ( FIG. 3E ) and the step of filling the electrophoretic elements  140  in the space between the conductive patterns  250 , the transparent conductive film  125 , and the light transmission regions  120  ( FIG. 3F ) may be inverted. 
         [0000]    That is, after performing the steps of  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3D , as shown in  FIG. 4 , a step of filling the electrophoretic elements  140  between the light transmission regions  120  is performed ( FIG. 4E ). Then, a step of disposing another transparent substrate  115  including the transparent conductive film  125  on the surface of the light transmission regions and the electrophoretic elements  140  is performed ( FIG. 4F ). 
         [0065]    Further, in a case where the position of the mask pattern  161  is shifted from the conductive patterns  250  at the time of exposing the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  by using the photomask  160  as described above, formed thereby is an optical element  950  in which a part of the conductive pattern  250  is disposed to overlap with a part of the light transmission region  120  on a plan view (see  FIG. 28 ). 
         [0000]    In this case, it is also possible to perform actions since a part of the conductive pattern  250  is disposed to be exposed from the light transmission region  120 , i.e., a part of the conductive pattern  250  is disposed to overlap with a part of the light transmission region  120  on a plan view when viewed from the normal direction of the display face of the optical element. 
         [0066]    Next, the optical element  200  will be described in more details. 
         [0067]    As shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 2A , the optical element  200  includes the transparent substrate  110 . The transparent substrate  110  is made of a glass substrate, PET (Poly Ethylen Terephthalate), PC (Poly Carbonate), PEN (Poly Ethylene Naphthalate), or the like. 
         [0000]    The conductive patterns  250  are formed on the transparent substrate  110 . The conductive patterns  250  are constituted with a conductive material such as aluminum, chrome, copper, chrome oxide, or carbon nanotube or a transparent conductive material such as ITO, ZnO, IGZO, a conductive carbon nanowire.
 
One light transmission region  120  or more is formed between the conductive patterns  250  on the transparent substrate  110 . The electrophoretic element  140  that is a mixture of the electrophoretic particles  141  and the dispersion material  142  is disposed between each of the light transmission regions  120 . The height of the light transmission region  120  is appropriate to be fall within a range of 30 μm to 300 μm, and it is 60 μm in the first exemplary embodiment.
 
The width of the light transmission region  120  is appropriate to be fall within a range of 1 μm to 150 μm, and it is 20 μm in the first exemplary embodiment. Further, the width of the space between each of the light transmission regions  120  is appropriate to be fall within a range of 0.25 μm to 40 μm, and it is 5 μm in the first exemplary embodiment.
 
Furthermore, the film thickness of the conductive pattern  250  is appropriate to fall within a range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and it is 300 nm in the first exemplary embodiment.
 
         [0068]    Layout examples of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  are shown in  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 12 . 
         [0069]      FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 10A  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the same direction as that of the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a square form are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 9A  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 10A  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally when viewed obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 9A . In this example, the conductive pattern  250  is formed in every other vertically long partial region constituted with the space formed lengthy in the longitudinal direction by being sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  out of the regions sandwiched by a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  which are disposed by being isolated from each other in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction as shown in  FIG. 9A  while no conductive pattern  250  is formed at all in the laterally lengthy partial region constituted with the space formed lengthy in the lateral direction by being sandwiched by the light transmission regions  120 . Thus, the proportion of the area of the conductive patterns  250  with respect to the entire regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  is roughly ¼. That is, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode can be decreased to about ¼ out of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0000]      FIG. 9B  and  FIG. 10B  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the same direction as that of the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a rectangular form of about roughly 1:2 in the length and width ratio are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 9B  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 10B  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally when viewed obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 9B . In this example, the conductive pattern  250  is formed in every other vertically long partial region constituted with the space formed lengthy in the longitudinal direction by being sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  out of the regions sandwiched by a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  which are disposed by being isolated from each other in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction as shown in  FIG. 9B  while no conductive pattern  250  is formed at all in the laterally lengthy partial region constituted with the space formed lengthy in the lateral direction by being sandwiched by the light transmission regions  120 . Thus, the proportion of the area of the conductive patterns  250  with respect to the entire regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  is roughly ⅓. That is, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode can be decreased to about ⅓ out of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0070]      FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 12A  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a square form are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 11A  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 12A  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally from the obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 11A . As in the above-described case, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, it is evident that the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode out of the regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  can be decreased greatly. 
         [0000]    In the example shown in  FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 12A , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 11A , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a square form are lined in a straight-line form, the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 .
 
Further,  FIG. 11B  and  FIG. 12B  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a rectangular form of about roughly 1:2 in the length and width ratio are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 11B  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 12B  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally from the obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 11B . As in the above-described case, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar form over the entire element regions, it is evident that the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode out of the regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  can be decreased greatly. In the example shown in  FIG. 11B  and  FIG. 12B , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 11B , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission region regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a rectangular form of about roughly 1:2 in the length and width ratio are lined in a straight line, the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 .
 
         [0071]      FIG. 11C  and  FIG. 12C  show an example where the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122 ,  121  are in a lengthy rectangular form and disposed by being isolated from each other in a width direction, and the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the linearly disposed direction of the light transmission regions  120 , i.e., in the direction same as the width direction of the light transmission regions  120 .  FIG. 11C  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 12C  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally when viewed obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face of the light transmission regions  120 . As in the above-described case, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, it is evident that the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode out of the regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  can be decreased greatly. In the example shown in  FIG. 11C  and  FIG. 12C , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 11C , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission region regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122 ,  121  are in a lengthy rectangular form and the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the linearly disposed direction of the light transmission regions  120 , i.e., in the direction rotated by 90 degrees from the longitudinal direction of the space formed between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 , the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 . 
         [0072]    The visible angles in the narrow viewing field mode in the A-A direction shown in each of the drawings  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 12  are limited to about ±30 degrees. 
         [0073]      FIG. 31A  and  FIG. 32A  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a square form are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 31A  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 32A  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally when viewed obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 31A . As in the above-described case, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, it is evident that the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode out of the regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  can be decreased greatly. In the example shown in  FIG. 31A  and  FIG. 32A , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 31A , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part of the conductive patterns  250  whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission region regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a square form are lined in a straight-line form, the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 31B  and  FIG. 32B  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a rectangular form of about roughly 1:2 in the length and width ratio are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 31B  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 32B  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120  and the conductive patterns  250  three-dimensionally when viewed obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 31B . As in the above-described case, compared to a conventional structure where both the transparent conductive film  125  in the transparent substrate  115  side and the transparent conductive film  123  on the transparent substrate  110  side are disposed in a planar manner over the entire element regions, it is evident that the area of the part covered by the electrophoretic particles  141  in the wide viewing field mode out of the regions sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120  can be decreased greatly. In the example shown in  FIG. 31B  and  FIG. 32B , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 31B , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part of the conductive pattern  250  whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission region regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  whose top and bottom faces  122  and  121  are in a rectangular form of about roughly 1:2 in the length and width ratio are lined in a straight-line form, the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 . 
         [0075]    As shown in  FIG. 34A , in the case where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction same as the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  are lined in a straight-line form, as shown by the positions A in  FIG. 34A , the electrophoretic particles  141  existing within the regions sectioned along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  by being sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  migrate along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  in the region where the particles  141  exist to the position at which the region closest to the position of the particles  141  and the region where the particles  141  exist meet with each other out of the regions sectioned when the light transmission regions  120  intersect with the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  when the drawn and cohered electrophoretic particles  141  migrate towards the conductive patterns  250 . Further, the electrophoretic particles  141  are required to reach the closest conductive pattern  250  by migrating in the region sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  and sectioned when the light transmission region  120  intersect with the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  through changing the travelling direction by 90 degrees at the above-described mixing position. 
         [0000]    In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 34B , through disposing the linear conductive patterns  250  in the direction rotated by 45 degrees from the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120 , the electrophoretic particles  141  existing in the positions A of  FIG. 34B  simply need to migrate in the region where the particles  141  exist linearly along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  when the drawn and cohered electrophoretic particles  141  migrate towards the conductive patterns  250 . Therefore, the time required for gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  can be shortened, so that it is possible to perform a visible range control with a fine responsiveness. While  FIG. 31  and  FIG. 32  show the case where the linear conductive patterns  250  are disposed in the direction rotated by 45 degrees from the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120 , it is possible to improve the responsiveness of the visible range control due to the same reasons described above by setting the rotating angle of the linear conductive patterns  250  with respect to the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  to be larger than 0 degree and equal to or less than 90 degrees. Further, the visible angles in the narrow viewing field mode in the A-A direction shown in each of the drawings  FIGS. 32A and 32B  are limited to about ±30 degrees. 
         [0076]    Next, steps of manufacturing the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment will be described in more details by referring to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0077]    First, the conductive patterns  250  are formed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  that is constituted with glass, PET, PC, or PEN (see  FIG. 3A ), and the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is formed thereon (see  FIG. 3B ). The conductive patterns  250  can be formed by using a conductive material such as aluminum, chrome, copper, chrome oxide, or carbon nanotube, or by using a transparent conductive material such as ITO, ZnO, IGZO, or conductive nanowire. In the first exemplary embodiment, aluminum is used. 
         [0078]    As a method for forming the transparent photosensitive layer  150 , it is possible to use any of depositing methods such as slit die coater, wire coater, applicator, dry film transcription, spray application, and screen printing, for example. The thickness of the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is preferable to be within a range of 30 μm to 300 μm, and it is 60 μm in the first exemplary embodiment. A transparent photosensitive resin used for the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is a chemical amplification type photoresist (product name “SU-8”) of Microchem, for example. 
         [0000]    Features of the transparent photosensitive resin are as follows.
       It is a negative resist of epoxy (specifically bisphenol A novolac glycidyl ether derivative) which polymerize a curing monomer by using proton acid as a catalyst which is generated by photoinitiator when ultraviolet ray is irradiated.   It exhibits an extremely high transparent characteristic in a visible light region.   The molecule amount of the curing monomer contained in the transparent photosensitive resin before being cured is relatively small, so that it is dissolved extremely easily in a solvent such as cyclopentanon, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PEGMEA), gamma butyrolactone (GBL), or methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Thus, it is easy to be formed in a thick film.   The light transmission property thereof is extremely good even for the wavelength of the near ultraviolet region, so that ultraviolet rays can be transmitted even when formed in a thick film.   It is possible to form patterns with a high aspect ratio of 3 or more due to the above-described features.   There are many functional groups in the curing monomer, so that the curing monomer after being cured becomes an extremely high density cross-linkage, which is extremely stable thermally and chemically. As a result, processing after forming the patterns can be done easily.
 
Needless to mention that the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is not limited only to the transparent photosensitive resin (product name “SU-8”) but any photocurable materials may be used as long as the materials exhibit the similar characteristics.
       
 
         [0085]    Subsequently, the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is patterned by using the mask pattern  161  of the photomask  160  (see  FIG. 3C ). Light  165  used for exposure is parallel light. A UV light source is used for the light source, and UV light with wavelength of 365 nm is irradiated as the exposure light  165 . The exposure amount at this time is appropriate to be within a range of 50 mJ/cm 2  to 1000 mJ/cm 2 , and it is 200 mJ/cm 2  in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0086]    Development is performed after the exposure. Then, thermal annealing is performed at 120 degrees for thirty minutes to form the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 3D ). The refractive index of the light transmission regions  120  formed with SU-8 is 1.5 to 1.6. As described, formed is a structure in which the conductive patterns  250  are disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0087]    Subsequently, another transparent substrate  115  including the transparent conductive film  125  is formed on the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 3E ). The transparent substrate  115  is fixed by gluing the top face of the light transmission regions  120  and the transparent conductive film  125  and by further sealing the outer circumference part of the transparent substrate  110  by a resin, not shown. The adhesive used at this time may be of a thermal setting type or a UV curable type. 
         [0088]    At last, the electrophoretic elements  140  are filled in the space between the transparent substrate  110  and the other transparent substrate  115  (see  FIG. 3F ). The electrophoretic elements  140  are the mixture of the electrophoretic particles  141  and the dispersion material  142 . 
         [0089]    As described above, the orders of performing disposition of the other transparent substrate  115  including the other transparent conductive film  125  shown in  FIG. 3E  and filling of the electrophoretic elements  140  in the space between each of the light transmission regions  120  shown in  FIG. 3F  may be inverted (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0090]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing still other manufacturing steps of the optical element according to the first exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, the still other manufacturing steps of the optical element will be described in details. 
         [0091]    First, the transparent conductive film  125  is formed on the surface of the other transparent substrate  115  that is made of glass, PET, PC, or PEN (see  FIG. 5A ). The transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is formed thereon (see  FIG. 5B ). 
         [0092]    Subsequently, the transparent photosensitive resin layer  150  is patterned by using the mask pattern  161  of the photomask  160  (see  FIG. 5C ). Development is performed after the exposure. Then, thermal annealing is performed at 120 degrees for thirty minutes to form the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 5D ). 
         [0093]    Subsequently, the transparent substrate  110  including the conductive patterns  250  is formed on the light transmission regions  120  (see  FIG. 5E ). At last, the electrophoretic elements  140  are filled in the space between the transparent substrate  110  and the other transparent substrate  115  (see  FIG. 5F ). At this time, the position of the transparent substrate  110  is controlled so that at least a part of the conductive patterns  250  is exposed towards the space between the light transmission regions  120  from the light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0094]    The orders of performing disposition of the transparent substrate  110  including the conductive patterns  250  shown in  FIG. 5E  and filling of the electrophoretic elements  140  in the space between each of the light transmission regions  120  shown in  FIG. 5F  may be inverted. 
       Second Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0095]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element  300  according to a second exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 6A  shows the state of the optical element  300  in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 6B  shows a state of the optical element  300  in a wide viewing field mode. In  FIGS. 6A and 6B , same reference numerals are applied to the elements same as those of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Hereinafter, details of the optical element  300  according to the second exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0096]    As shown in  FIG. 6A , in the second exemplary embodiment, a protection cover film  130  for covering the conductive patterns  250  is disposed between the transparent substrate  110  where the conductive patterns  250  are disposed and the light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0000]    The film thickness of the protection cover film  130  is appropriate to fall within a range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and it is 300 nm in the second exemplary embodiment. As the structural material used for the protection cover film  130  may be a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, or the like, and used in the second exemplary embodiment is a silicon oxide film. Further, while the protection cover film  130  is formed on the entire surface of the transparent substrate  110  where the conductive patterns  250  are formed in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , it is not essential to cover the entire surface. It is simply required to cover the surface of the conductive patterns  250 .
 
With the above-described structure, contact between the conductive patterns  250  and the electrophoretic elements  140  can be prevented by covering the conductive patterns  250  with the protection cover film  130 . Thus, operation deterioration and the like that may be caused when the electrophoretic elements  140  attach to the conductive patterns  250  do not occur, so that a visible range control with a fine operation stability can be achieved. Further, as the environment for keeping the electrophoretic elements  140 , the air-tightness can be improved by adding the protection cover film  130  to the conventional structure. This makes it possible to achieve the optical element with fine reliability.
 
         [0097]    Other structures, operations, and effect of the second exemplary embodiment are the same as those described in the first exemplary embodiment. 
       Third Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0098]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element  400  according to a third exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 7A  shows the state of the optical element  400  in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 7B  shows a state of the optical element  400  in a wide viewing field mode. In  FIGS. 7A and 7B , same reference numerals are applied to the elements same as those of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
         [0000]    Hereinafter, details of the optical element  400  according to the third exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0099]    As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , in the third exemplary embodiment, the conductive patterns  250 , the protection cover film  130 , and the light transmission regions  120  are formed on the transparent substrate  110  as in the case of the second exemplary embodiment. On the top face of the light transmission regions  120 , another transparent substrate  115  including a second protection cover film  135  for covering the transparent conductive film  125  stacked on the surface thereof is disposed. 
         [0000]    The film thickness of the transparent conductive film  125  and the second protection cover film  135  is appropriate to fall within a range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and it is 300 nm in the third exemplary embodiment. As the structural material used for the protection cover film  130  may be a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, or the like, and used in the third exemplary embodiment is a silicon oxide film which is same as the structural material of the protection cover film  130 . Further, while the second protection cover film  135  is formed also between the transparent conductive film  125  and the light transmission regions  120  in  FIG. 7 , it is not essential. It is simply required to cover the region of the transparent conductive film  125  other than the region that is in contact with the light transmission regions  120 , i.e., the region to be in contact with the electrophoretic elements  140 , with the second protection film  135 .
 
With the above-described structure, contact between the transparent conductive film  125  and the electrophoretic elements  140  can be prevented. Thus, attachment and the like the electrophoretic elements  140  to the transparent conductive film  125  do not occur, so that a visible range control with a fine operation stability can be achieved. Further, as the environment for keeping the electrophoretic elements, the air-tightness can be improved further by adding the second protection cover film to the structure of the third exemplary embodiment. This makes it possible to achieve the optical element with fine reliability.
 
         [0100]    Other structures, operations, and effect of the third exemplary embodiment are the same as those described in the first and second exemplary embodiments. 
       Fourth Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0101]      FIGS. 13A and 13B  show longitudinal sectional views of an optical element  600  according to a fourth exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 13A  shows the state of the optical element  600  in a narrow viewing field mode and  FIG. 13B  shows a state of the optical element  600  in a wide viewing field mode. Further,  FIG. 14A  is a plan view showing the state of layout of the light transmission regions  120 , the conductive patterns  250 , and transparent conductive patterns  280  according to the fourth exemplary embodiment, and  FIG. 14B  is a perspective view thereof. In  FIGS. 13A ,  13 B and  FIGS. 14A ,  14 B, same reference numerals as those of the first exemplary embodiment are applied to the elements same as those of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Hereinafter, details of the optical element according to the fourth exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0102]    As shown in  FIG. 13A , in the fourth exemplary embodiment, the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed on the first transparent substrate  110 , and the light transmission regions  120  are disposed between the conductive pattern  250  and the transparent conductive pattern  280 . As shown in  FIG. 14A , the conductive pattern  250  and the transparent conductive pattern  280  are disposed alternately in the region of the longitudinally lengthy part that is constituted by a space formed lengthy in the longitudinal direction by being sandwiched between the light transmission regions  120 . 
         [0000]    That is, the optical element  600  according to the fourth exemplary embodiment includes: the first transparent substrate  110 ; the second transparent substrate  115  provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  disposed by being isolated from each other to reach the surface of the second transparent substrate  115  from the surface of the first transparent substrate  110 ; the conductive patterns  250  disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  in a part of regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 ; the transparent conductive patterns  280  disposed in a part of the region on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  where the conductive patterns  250  are not disposed; the transparent conductive film  125  disposed on the face of the second transparent substrate  115  opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; and the electrophoretic elements  140  disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 .
 
The electrophoretic element  140  is a mixture of light-shielding electrophoretic particles  141  of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material  142 .
 
More specifically, the optical element  600  of the fourth exemplary embodiment includes: the first transparent substrate  110 ; the second transparent substrate  115  provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate  110  with a space provided therebetween; the transparent conductive film  125  disposed on the surface of the second transparent substrate  115  opposing to the first transparent substrate  110 ; a plurality of the light transmission regions  120  which are disposed in the space between the first transparent substrate  110  and the transparent conductive film  125  in parallel to the display face of the optical element  600  by being isolated from each other in two mutually orthogonal directions, i.e., in the longitudinal and lateral directions of  FIG. 14A , in such a manner that the bottom face  121  thereof abuts against the first transparent substrate  110  and the top face  122  thereof reaches the second transparent substrate  115 ; the conductive patterns  250  disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  in a part of regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 ; the transparent conductive patterns  280  disposed in a part of the regions on the surface of the first transparent substrate  110  where the conductive patterns  250  are not disposed, more strictly, in a part of the remaining region when excluding the region where the conductive pattern  250  is disposed from the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 ; and the electrophoretic elements  140  which are disposed to fill the spaces between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  disposed by being isolated from each other regardless of existence of the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280 .
 
The film thickness of both the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  is appropriate to fall within a range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and it is 300 nm for the both in the fourth exemplary embodiment. The structural material used for the transparent conductive patterns  280  may be ITO, ZnO, IGZO, conductive nanowire or the like. In the fourth exemplary embodiment, ITO is used.
 
The narrow viewing field mode shown in  FIG. 13A  is achieved by dispersing electrophoretic particles  141  in the electrophoretic elements  140  disposed in the spaces between each of the light transmission regions  120  within the dispersion material  142  by setting the conductive patterns  250 , the transparent conductive patterns  280 , and the transparent conductive film  125  to be in a same potential (see  FIG. 29A ). In the meantime, the wide viewing field mode shown in  FIG. 13B  is achieved by setting the transparent conductive patterns  280  and the transparent conductive film  125  to be in a same potential and setting the conductive patterns  250  to be in a higher potential than that of the transparent conductive patterns  280  and the transparent conductive film  125  (see  FIG. 29  in a case where the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  is (−)). Further, in a case where the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  is (+), the wide viewing field mode of  FIG. 13B  is achieved by setting the potentials to be in the relation shown in  FIG. 29C , i.e., by inverting the polarities of the electrodes. In other words, in both cases, through gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  by setting the relative potential of the transparent conductive patterns  280  with respect to the conductive patterns  250  to be in the same polarity as the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141  and setting the relative potential of the transparent conductive film  125  with respect to the transparent conductive patterns  280  to be in a same polarity as that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles  141 , the electrophoretic particles  141  do not exist in the regions on the surface of the transparent substrate  110  where the conductive patterns  250  are not disposed.
 
As described through generating an electric field also between the conductive pattern  250  and the transparent conductive pattern  280  in addition to the electric filed between the transparent conductive film  125  and the conductive patterns  250 , the time required when gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  as shown in  FIG. 13B  can be shortened. Thus, it is possible to perform a visible range control with a fine responsiveness.
 
As described above, displays of the narrow viewing field mode and the wide viewing field mode can be achieved through controlling the potentials of the conductive patterns  250 , the transparent conductive pattern  280 , and the transparent conductive film  125  by a voltage apply control module  145  as shown in  FIGS. 29A ,  29 B, and  29 C. The voltage apply control module  145  is a module for changing each of the polarities of the conductive patterns  250 , the transparent conductive pattern  280 , and the transparent conductive film  125  by adjusting the voltages to be applied to the conductive pattern  250 , the transparent conductive pattern  280 , and the transparent conductive film  125  according to the signals from outside.
 
         [0103]      FIGS. 33A and 33B  show an example where the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  are lined in a straight-line form.  FIG. 33A  shows the layout of the light transmission regions  120 , the conductive patterns  250 , and the transparent conductive patterns  280  two-dimensionally when viewed from the normal direction of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . Further,  FIG. 33B  shows the state of the light transmission regions  120 , the conductive patterns  250 , and the transparent conductive patterns  280  three-dimensionally obliquely from the above of the front side of the top face  122  of the light transmission regions  120 . The layout of the light transmission regions  120  is in a staggered layout as a whole as clearly shown in  FIG. 33A . In the example shown in  FIG. 33A , the conductive patterns  250  which draw and cohere the electrophoretic particles  141  are the part shown by applying hatching in  FIG. 33A , i.e., the part sandwiched by the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . The part of the conductive patterns  250  whose top and back faces are sandwiched by the transparent substrate  110  and the light transmission region regions  120  simply functions as a means for electrically connecting the conductive pattern  250  sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120 . Therefore, even with the structure in which the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed in the direction that is rotated by 45 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions  120  are lined in a straight-line form, the technical spirit of the present invention to exclude the electrophoretic particles  141  from the regions other than the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  disposed only in a part of the regions sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  can be followed by gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250 . 
         [0104]    As shown in  FIG. 35A , in the case where the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed in the direction same as the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120 , as shown by the positions A in  FIG. 35A , the electrophoretic particles  141  existing within the regions sectioned along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  by being sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  migrate along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  in the region where the particles  141  exist to the position at which the region closest to the position of the particles  141  and the region where the particles  141  exist meet with each other out of the regions sectioned when the light transmission regions  120  intersect with the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  by being sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  when the drawn and cohered electrophoretic particles  141  migrate towards the conductive patterns  250 . Further, the electrophoretic particles  141  are required to reach the closest conductive pattern  250  by migrating in the region sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions  120  and sectioned when the light transmission region  120  intersect with the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  through changing the travelling direction by 90 degrees at the above-described mixing position. 
         [0000]    In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 35B , through disposing the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  in the direction rotated by 45 degrees from the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120 , the electrophoretic particles  141  existing in the positions A of  FIG. 35B  simply need to migrate in the region where the particles  141  exist linearly along the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  when the drawn and cohered electrophoretic particles  141  migrate towards the conductive patterns  250 . Therefore, the time required for gathering the electrophoretic particles  141  in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive patterns  250  can be shortened, so that it is possible to perform a visible range control with a fine responsiveness.
 
While  FIG. 33  shows the case where the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed in the direction rotated by 45 degrees from the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120 , it is possible to improve the responsiveness of the visible range control due to the same reasons as described above by setting the rotating angle of the linear conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  with respect to the linearly lined direction of the light transmission regions  120  to be larger than 0 degree and equal to or smaller than 90 degrees. Further, while  FIG. 33  shows the example of the case where the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  are disposed in parallel to each other, the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  may not be disposed in parallel as long as those patterns are isolated from each other.
 
         [0105]    Other structures, operations, and effects of the fourth exemplary embodiment are the same as those described in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0000]    Further, operations and effects of an optical element  700  in which the protection cover film  130  is formed on the conductive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive patterns  280  as shown in  FIGS. 15A ,  15 B and an optical element  800  in which the second protection cover film  135  is formed further on the surface of the transparent conductive film  125  in addition to the protection cover film  130  as shown in  FIGS. 16A ,  16 B are the same as those of the second and third exemplary embodiments, respectively.
 
In the first exemplary embodiment, it is described that operations can be done even with the structure in which a part of the conductive pattern  250  is disposed to overlap with a part of the light transmission region  120  on a plan view. As shown in  FIG. 30 , it is also possible with the fourth exemplary embodiment to perform operations even when the conductive pattern  250  and the transparent conductive pattern  280  are disposed to be exposed at least partially from the light transmission region  120 , i.e., disposed in such a manner that a part of the conductive pattern  250  and a part of the transparent conductive pattern  280  overlap with a part of the light transmission region  120  on a plan view, i.e., when viewed from the normal direction of the display face of the optical element.
 
       Other Exemplary Embodiments 
       [0106]    The optical elements of the present invention described above can be applied not only to a liquid crystal display device but also to other display devices including a display face (display panel) for displaying videos, e.g., display devices including a display such as an organic EL display, an inorganic EL display, an LED display, a plasma display, a field emission display (FED), a cathode-ray tube, a fluorescent display tube, or the like. 
         [0107]    Further, as the modes for using the optical elements of the present invention, there may be various modes such as a mode in which it is used by being directly pasted on the surface of a display panel, a mode in which it is loaded inside a display device, and the like. Hereinafter, structural examples of each of the use modes will be described in a specific manner. Note that explanations will be provided by referring to a case of using the optical element of the first exemplary embodiment as the optical element. 
         [0108]    First, a display device including the optical element of the present invention loaded inside thereof will be described. 
         [0109]      FIG. 21  shows a structural example of a display device  1400  which includes the optical element of the present invention loaded inside thereof. The display device  1400  is constituted with: an optical control element  1800 ; a lighting optical device  1700  which is a backlight for lighting the optical control element  1800  by being disposed on the back face side of the display device  1400 ; and an optical element  1100  provided between the optical control element  1800  and the lighting optical device  1700 . 
         [0110]    As described in the first exemplary embodiment, the optical element  1100  is a microlouver which can achieve the narrow viewing field mode and the wide viewing field mode and exhibits high luminance in the wide viewing field mode. 
         [0000]    The lighting optical device  1700  is constituted with: a light source  1021  typically a cold cathode-ray tube shown in  FIG. 21 ; a reflection sheet  1022 ; a light guiding plate  1023 ; a diffusing plate  1024 ; a prism sheet  1025   a ; and a prism sheet  1025   b . The light transmitted through the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  is irradiated to the optical control element  1800  via the optical element  1100 . 
         [0111]    The light guiding plate  1023  is formed with an acryl resin or the like, and it is structured in such a manner that light from the light source  1021  makes incident to one end face and the incident light propagates within the light guiding plate and exits uniformly from the surface (a prescribed side face) side. On the back face side of the light guiding plate  1023 , the reflection sheet  1022  which reflects the light emitted from the back face towards the surface direction is provided. Although not shown, a reflection module is also provided to the other end face and the side face of the light guiding plate  1023 . 
         [0112]    The light emitted from the surface of the light guiding plate  1023  makes incident on the optical control element  1800  via the diffusing plate  1024  and the prism sheets  1025   a ,  1025   b . The diffusing plate  1024  is for diffusing the light that makes incident from the light guiding plate  1023 . The luminance of the emitted light varies between the left and right ends of the light guiding plate  1023  because of its structure. Therefore, the light from the light guiding plate  1023  is diffused by the diffusing plate  1024 . 
         [0113]    The prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  improve the luminance of the light that makes incident from the light guiding plate  1023  via the diffusing plate  1024 . The prism sheet  1025   a  is constituted with a plurality of prisms that are disposed in a prescribed direction at a prescribed period. The prism sheet  1025   b  is in a same structure. However, the orderly layout direction of the prisms thereof is designed to cross with the orderly layout direction of the prisms of the prism sheet  1025   a . By the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b , the directivity of the light diffused by the diffusing plate  1024  can be increased. 
         [0114]    While the cold cathode-ray tube is used as the light source for describing the exemplary embodiment, the light source is not limited only to that. A white LED, a tricolor LED, or the like may also be used as the light source. Further, while a side-light type light source is used for describing the exemplary embodiment, the light source is not limited only to that. A direct type light source may be used as well. 
         [0115]    The optical control element  1800  has a structure in which a liquid crystal layer  1032  is clamped by two substrates  1030   a  and  1030   b . The substrate  1030   a  includes a color filter  1033  formed on one of the faces (the face on the liquid crystal layer  1032  side), and includes a polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   a  provided on the other face. A polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   b  is provided on the face opposite from the liquid crystal layer  1032  side of the substrate  1030   b . In the color filter  1033 , filters of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) are disposed in matrix in the regions sectioned by a black matrix constituted with a layer that absorbs light. Each color filter corresponds to a pixel and the pitch thereof is constant. The liquid crystal layer  1032  is capable of switching a transparent state and a light-shielding state by a unit of pixel according to control signals form a control device, not shown. By switching the states, the incident light is modulated spatially. 
         [0116]    In the display device shown in  FIG. 21 , the light transmitted through the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  makes incident on the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   b . The light transmitted through the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   b  makes incident on the liquid crystal layer  1032  via the substrate  1030   b , and spatial modulation is performed therein by a pixel unit. The light (modulated light) transmitted through the liquid crystal layer  1032  transmits through the color filter  1033  and the substrate  1030   a  in order and makes incident on the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   a . The light transmitted through the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   a  is emitted via the optical element  1100 . While the polarization plate/phase difference plates  1031   a  and  1031   b  are used as the optical control element in  FIG. 21 , the optical control element is not limited only to those. It is also possible to employ a structure which includes only the polarization plate. 
         [0117]    With the above-described display device, it is possible to converge or not converge the light for lighting the optical control element  1800  to the screen front face direction by the optical element  1100  to which the present invention is applied. Thus, the state of narrow viewing angle and the state of wide viewing angle can be selected as appropriate depending on the preference of the observer. The angle of the optical element  1100  with respect to the optical control element  1800  is adjusted as appropriate so that there is no moiré generated between the optical control element  1800  and the optical element  1100 . Further, as in a display device  1500  shown in  FIG. 22 , the optical element  1100  may be pasted to the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   b  of the optical control element  1800  by using a transparent adhesive layer  1060 . Generation of scattering light between the both can be suppressed through pasting the optical element  1100  to the optical control element  1800 , so that the transmittance can be improved. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a display device with a still higher luminance. 
         [0118]    Next, an exemplary embodiment in which the optical element of the present invention is used by disposing it on the surface of a display panel will be described. 
         [0119]      FIG. 19  shows a structural example of a display device  1200  in which the optical element of the present invention is provided to the display screen. Referring to  FIG. 19 , the display device  1200  is constituted with the optical control element  1800 , the lighting optical device  1700 , and the optical element  1100 . 
         [0000]    As described in the first exemplary embodiment, the optical element  1100  is a microlouver which can control the narrow viewing field mode and the wide viewing field mode.
 
The lighting optical device  1700  is constituted with: the light source  1021 ; the reflection sheet  1022 ; the light guiding plate  1023 ; the diffusing plate  1024 ; and the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b . The light transmitted through the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  is lighted to the optical control element. Note here that a hard coat layer for preventing scratches and a reflection preventing layer for preventing glare may also be formed on the surface of the optical element  1100 .
 
         [0120]    With the above-described display device  1200 , at the forefront face of the display device  1200 , it is possible to converge or not converge the light emitted from the optical control element  1800  to the screen front face direction by the optical element  1100  to which the present invention is applied. Thus, the light transmitted through the optical element  1100  can directly reach the observer. Therefore, scattering, refraction, reflection, and the like of the light emitted from the optical element can be suppressed compared to the case of the display device that includes the optical element loaded inside thereof, so that clear images with a still higher resolution can be achieved. In this case, the angle of the optical element  1100  with respect to the optical control element  1800  is adjusted as appropriate so that there is no moiré generated between the optical control element  1800  and the optical element  1100 . 
         [0121]    Further, as in the display device  1300  shown in  FIG. 20 , the optical element  1100  may be pasted to the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   a  of the optical control element  1800  by using the transparent adhesive layer  1060 . With such structure, surface reflection loss at the interface between the optical element  1100  and the polarization plate/phase difference plate  1031   a  can be decreased. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a display device with a still higher luminance. 
         [0122]    As examples of the case where the present invention is applied to mobile information processing terminals as other electric apparatuses such as a mobile phone, a notebook personal computer, a feature phone, a smartphone, a tablet device, or PDA, there are devices which include one of the above-described display devices  1200 ,  1300 ,  1400 , an  1500  loaded as a display module in a main body of the electronic apparatus as in an electronic apparatus  2000  shown in  FIG. 27A  or an electronic apparatus  2010  shown in  FIG. 27B , for example. Further, the optical element of the present invention may be applied to various kinds of plasma type display devices. 
         [0123]    In that case, on the information processing terminals side, the control device thereof receives input from an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch panel and performs a control for displaying necessary information on the display device loaded as the display module. 
         [0124]    Next,  FIG. 23  shows a structural example of a lighting device  1600  to which the optical element of the present invention is loaded. Referring to  FIG. 23 , the lighting deice  1600  is constituted with a surface light source  1900  and the optical element  1100 . The surface light source is constituted with: the light source  1021  typically a cold cathode tube; the reflection sheet  1022 ; the light guiding plate  1023 ; the diffusing plate  1024 ; the prism sheet  1025   a ; and the prism sheet  1025   b.    
         [0000]    The optical element  1100  is constituted with one of the microlouvers according to the first to third exemplary embodiments. 
         [0125]    The light guiding plate  1023  is formed with an acryl resin or the like, and it is structured in such a manner that light from the light source  1021  makes incident on one end face and the incident light propagates within the light guiding plate and exits uniformly from the surface (a prescribed side face) side. On the back face side of the light guiding plate  1023 , the reflection sheet  1022  which reflects the light emitted from the back face towards the surface direction is provided. Although not shown, a reflection module is also provided to the other end face and the side face of the light guiding plate  1023 . 
         [0126]    The light emitted from the surface of the light guiding plate  1023  makes incident on the optical element  1100  via the diffusing plate  1024  and the prism sheets  1025   a ,  1025   b . The diffusing plate  1024  is for diffusing the light that makes incident from the light guiding plate  1023 . The luminance of the emitted light varies between the left and right ends of the light guiding plate  1023  because of its structure. Therefore, the light from the light guiding plate  1023  is diffused by the light guiding plate  1023 . 
         [0127]    The prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  improve the luminance of the light that makes incident from the light guiding plate  1023  via the diffusing plate  1024 . 
         [0128]    In the lighting device  1600 , the light emitted from the surface side of the light guiding plate  1023  makes incident on the optical element  1100  via the prism sheets  1025   a  and  1025   b  after being diffused by the diffusing plate  1024 . 
         [0129]    With the above-described lighting device  1600 , it is possible to converge or not converge the light of the surface light source  1900  to the screen front face direction by the optical element  1100  to which the present invention is applied. Thus, it becomes possible to select a state with wide light emission angles where light can be irradiated in a wide range and a state with narrow light emission angles where the light can be irradiated only in the vicinity of directly under the lighting device  1600  depending on the preference of the observer. 
         [0000]    Particularly with the lighting device  1600  that uses the optical element  200  of the first exemplary embodiment, the optical element  300  of the second exemplary embodiment, the optical element  400  of the third exemplary embodiment as the optical element  1100 , the range of exit directions of the light transmitting through the light transmission regions  120  and the dispersion materials  142  is changed by changing the dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles  141  by a potential difference between the conducive patterns  250  and the transparent conductive film  125 . With the lighting device  1600  that uses the optical element  600  of the fourth exemplary embodiment as the optical element  1100 , the range of exit directions of the light transmitting through the light transmission regions  120  and the dispersion materials  142  is changed by changing the dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles  141  by a potential difference between the conducive patterns  250  or the transparent conductive patterns  280  and the transparent conductive film  125 . 
         [0130]    While the cold cathode-ray tube is used as the light source for describing the exemplary embodiment, the light source is not limited only to that. A white LED, a tricolor LED, or the like may also be used as the light source. Further, while a side-light type light source is used for describing the exemplary embodiment, the light source is not limited only to that. A direct type light source may be used as well. Furthermore, the surface light source  1900  is not limited only to the content described in the exemplary embodiment. Any types may be used as long as such as the light source for emitting light such as an LED light, an organic EL light, an inorganic EL light, a fluorescent light, a lightbulb, and the like are arranged in a planar form. 
         [0131]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
         [0132]    A part of or a whole part of the exemplary embodiments disclosed above can be expressed properly by following Supplementary Notes. However, the modes for embodying the present invention and the technical spirit thereof are not limited only to those. 
       (Supplementary Note 1) 
       [0133]    An optical element which includes: 
         [0134]    a first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and a second transparent substrate ( 115 ) provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0135]    a plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) disposed by being isolated from each other to reach a surface of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) from a surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0136]    a conductive pattern ( 250 ) disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions ( 120 ) neighboring to each other; 
         [0137]    a transparent conductive film ( 125 ) disposed on a face of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) opposing to the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); and 
         [0138]    an electrophoretic element ( 140 ) disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ), which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 1 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 2) 
       [0139]    An optical element which includes: 
         [0140]    a first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and a second transparent substrate ( 115 ) provided by opposing to and being isolated from the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0141]    a transparent conductive film ( 125 ) disposed on a surface of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) opposing to the first substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0142]    a plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) which are disposed in a space between the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) in parallel to the display face of the optical element ( 200 ) by being isolated from each other in two mutually orthogonal directions in such a manner that the bottom face ( 121 ) thereof abuts against the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the top face ( 122 ) thereof reaches the second transparent substrate ( 115 ); 
         [0143]    a conductive pattern ( 250 ) disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions ( 120 ) neighboring to each other; and 
         [0144]    regardless of the existence of the conductive pattern ( 250 ), an electrophoretic element ( 140 ) disposed to fill the space between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ) that are disposed by being isolated from each other, which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 10A ,  FIG. 9B  and  FIG. 10B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 3) 
       [0145]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 2, wherein: 
         [0146]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed in a staggered manner; and the conductive patterns ( 250 ) are disposed in a same direction as the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are lined in a straight-line form (see  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 10A ,  FIG. 9B  and  FIG. 10B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 4) 
       [0147]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 2, wherein: 
         [0148]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed in a staggered manner; and the conductive patterns ( 250 ) are disposed in a direction rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are lined in a straight-line form (see  FIG. 11A ,  FIG. 12A ,  FIG. 11B , and  FIG. 12B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 5) 
       [0149]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 2, wherein: 
         [0150]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed vertically and laterally on the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) to be arranged in a straight-line form along a row direction or a column direction; the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is in a linear shape; and an angle of the linear conductive pattern ( 250 ) with respect to the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed in a straight-line form is larger than 0 degree and equal to or less than 90 degrees (see  FIG. 31A  and  FIG. 32A ,  FIG. 31B  and  FIG. 32B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 6) 
       [0151]    An optical element which includes: 
         [0152]    a first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and a second transparent substrate ( 115 ) provided by opposing to and being isolated from the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0153]    a transparent conductive film ( 125 ) disposed on a face of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) opposing to the first substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0154]    a plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) which are disposed in a space between the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) in parallel to the display face of the optical element ( 200 ) by being isolated from each other in the width direction of the top and bottom faces ( 122 ,  121 ) in a lengthy rectangular shape in such a manner that the bottom face ( 121 ) abuts against the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the top face ( 122 ) reaches the second transparent substrate ( 115 ); 
         [0155]    a conductive pattern ( 250 ) disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions ( 120 ) neighboring to each other; and 
         [0156]    regardless of the existence of the conductive pattern ( 250 ), an electrophoretic element ( 140 ) disposed to fill the space between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ) that are disposed by being isolated from each other, which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 11C  and  FIG. 12C ). 
       (Supplementary Note 7) 
       [0157]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 6, wherein 
         [0158]    the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is disposed in a direction rotated by 90 degrees from the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are arranged (see  FIG. 11C  and  FIG. 12C ). 
       (Supplementary Note 8) 
       [0159]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 6, wherein: 
         [0160]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed vertically and laterally on the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) to be arranged in a straight-line form along a row direction or a column direction; the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is in a linear shape; and an angle of the linear conductive pattern ( 250 ) with respect to the direction along which the light transmission regions are disposed in a straight-line form is large than 0 degree and equal to or less than 90 degrees (see  FIG. 31A  and  FIG. 32A ,  FIG. 31B  and  FIG. 32B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 9) 
       [0161]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 8, wherein 
         [0162]    a part of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is disposed to overlap with a part of the light transmission region ( 120 ) on a plan view (see  FIG. 28 ,  FIG. 31  to  FIG. 33 ,  FIG. 34B , and  FIG. 35B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 10) 
       [0163]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 9, wherein 
         [0164]    a protection cover film ( 130 ) is formed to cover the conductive pattern ( 250 ) (see  FIG. 6 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 11) 
       [0165]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 10, wherein 
         [0166]    a second protection cover film ( 135 ) is formed to cover the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) (see  FIG. 7 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 12) 
       [0167]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 11, which includes 
         [0168]    a voltage apply control module ( 145 ) which adjusts voltages applied to the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) according to a signal from outside to change polarities of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ), respectively (see  FIG. 26 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 13) 
       [0169]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 12, wherein 
         [0170]    a relative potential of the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) with respect to the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is set to be in a same polarity as that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) to gather the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) to acquire a state where the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) do not exist in a region where the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is not disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) (see  FIGS. 26B and 26C ). 
       (Supplementary Note 14) 
       [0171]    An optical element which includes: 
         [0172]    a first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and a second transparent substrate ( 115 ) provided by opposing to the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0173]    a plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) disposed by being isolated from each other to reach a surface of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) from a surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0174]    a conductive pattern ( 250 ) disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions ( 120 ) neighboring to each other; 
         [0175]    a transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) disposed further in a part of the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) where the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is not disposed; 
         [0176]    a transparent conductive film ( 125 ) disposed on a face of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) opposing to the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); and 
         [0177]    an electrophoretic element ( 140 ) disposed between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ), which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 13 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 15) 
       [0178]    An optical element which includes: 
         [0179]    a first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and a second transparent substrate ( 115 ) provided by opposing to and being isolated from the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0180]    a transparent conductive film ( 125 ) disposed on a surface of the second transparent substrate ( 115 ) opposing to the first substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0181]    a plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) which are disposed in a space between the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) in parallel to the display face of an optical element ( 600 ) by being isolated from each other in two mutually orthogonal directions in such a manner that the bottom face ( 121 ) thereof abuts against the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) and the top face ( 122 ) thereof reaches the second transparent substrate ( 115 ); 
         [0182]    a conductive pattern ( 250 ) disposed on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) in a part of a region sandwiched between the light transmission regions ( 120 ) neighboring to each other; 
         [0183]    a conductive pattern ( 280 ) disposed further in a part of the remaining region when excluding the region where the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is disposed from the region sandwiched between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ) on the surface of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ); 
         [0184]    regardless of the existence of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ), an electrophoretic element ( 140 ) disposed to fill the space between the neighboring light transmission regions ( 120 ) that are disposed by being isolated from each other, which is constituted with light-shielding electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) of a specific electric charge and a transmissive dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 13 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 16) 
       [0185]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 15, wherein: 
         [0186]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed in a staggered manner; and the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) are disposed alternately in a same direction as the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are lined in a straight-line form (see  FIG. 14 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 17) 
       [0187]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 15, wherein: 
         [0188]    the plurality of light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed vertically and laterally on the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) to be arranged in a straight-line form along a row direction or a column direction; the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) are in a linear shape; and an angle of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) with respect to the direction along which the light transmission regions ( 120 ) are disposed in a straight-line form is large than 0 degree and equal to or less than 90 degrees (see  FIG. 31A  and  FIG. 32A ,  FIG. 31B  and  FIG. 32B ). 
       (Supplementary Note 18) 
       [0189]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 14 to 17, wherein 
         [0190]    a part of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and a part of the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) are disposed to overlap with a part of the light transmission region ( 120 ) on a plan view (see  FIG. 30 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 19) 
       [0191]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 14 to 18, wherein 
         [0192]    a protection cover film ( 130 ) is formed to cover the conductive pattern ( 250 ) and the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) (see  FIG. 15 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 20) 
       [0193]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 14 to 19, wherein 
         [0194]    a second protection cover film ( 135 ) is formed to cover the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) (see  FIG. 16 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 21) 
       [0195]    The optical element as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 14 to 20, which includes a voltage apply control module ( 145 ) which adjusts voltages applied to the conductive pattern ( 250 ), the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ), and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) according to a signal from outside to change polarities of the conductive pattern ( 250 ), the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ), and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ), respectively (see  FIG. 29 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 22) 
       [0196]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 21, wherein 
         [0197]    a relative potential of the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) with respect to the conductive pattern ( 250 ) is set to be in a same polarity as that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) and a relative potential of the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) with respect to the transparent conductive pattern ( 250 ) is set to be in a same polarity as that of the surface charge of the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) to gather the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) in the vicinity of the surface of the conductive pattern ( 250 ) (see  FIGS. 29B and 29C ). 
       (Supplementary Note 23) 
       [0198]    The optical element as depicted in Supplementary Note 21 or 22, wherein 
         [0199]    the conductive pattern ( 250 ), the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ), and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) are set to be in a same potential to dispose the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) in the entire dispersion material ( 142 ) (see  FIG. 29A ). 
       (Supplementary Note 24) 
       [0200]    A display device which includes: 
         [0201]    a display ( 1800 ) which includes a display face for displaying videos; and 
         [0202]    the optical element ( 1100 ) as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 23 disposed on the display face of the display ( 1800 ) (see  FIG. 20 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 25) 
       [0203]    The display device as depicted in Supplementary Note 24, wherein 
         [0204]    the display and the optical element are fixed via a transparent adhesive layer ( 1060 ) (see  FIG. 20 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 26) 
       [0205]    The display device as depicted in Supplementary Note 24 or 25, wherein 
         [0206]    the display ( 1800 ) is a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an organic EL display, an inorganic EL display, an LED display, a field emission display, a cathode-ray tube, or a fluorescent display tube (see line 6 of page 46 to line 10 of page 46 of the specification). 
       (Supplementary Note 27) 
       [0207]    A display device which includes: 
         [0208]    a liquid crystal display ( 1800 ) which includes a display face for displaying videos; 
         [0209]    a backlight ( 1700 ) which irradiates light to the liquid crystal display ( 1800 ) by being disposed on a back face side of the liquid crystal display ( 1800 ); and 
         [0210]    the optical element ( 1100 ) as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 23 disposed between the liquid crystal display ( 1800 ) and the backlight ( 1700 ) (see  FIG. 21 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 28) 
       [0211]    The display device as depicted in Supplementary Note 27, wherein 
         [0212]    the liquid crystal display ( 1800 ) and the optical element ( 1100 ) are fixed via a transparent adhesive layer ( 1060 ) (see  FIG. 22 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 29) 
       [0213]    An electronic apparatus which includes the display device as depicted in any one of Supplementary Notes 24 to 28 loaded as a display module of a main body of the electronic apparatus (see  FIG. 27 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 30) 
       [0214]    A lighting device which includes: 
         [0215]    the optical element ( 1100 ) as depicted in in any one of supplementary Notes 1 to 23; and a light source ( 1700 ) provided on a back face of the first transparent substrate ( 110 ) of the optical element ( 1100 ) (see  FIG. 23 ). 
       (Supplementary Note 31) 
       [0216]    The lighting device as depicted in Supplementary Note 30, wherein 
         [0217]    in the optical element ( 1100 ), a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles ( 141 ) is changed by a potential difference between the conductive pattern ( 250 ) or the transparent conductive pattern ( 280 ) and the transparent conductive film ( 125 ) to change a range of exit directions of light which transmits through the light transmission region ( 120 ) and the dispersion material ( 142 ). 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0218]    The present invention can be utilized for any types of optical elements which control the range of exit directions of transmission light. Examples of such optical element are the optical elements used in a liquid crystal display device, an EL display, a plasma display, FED, a lighting device, and the like.