Patent ID: 8109637

Claim:
A wavelength-selective polarization conversion element, comprising: a plurality of polarization splitting surfaces that is disposed along a first direction; a plurality of dichroic surfaces that is disposed along the first direction; and a plurality of phase plates that is disposed along the first direction, wherein the plurality of polarization splitting surfaces and the plurality of dichroic surfaces separate non-polarized white light into a plurality of first light fluxes and a plurality of second light fluxes, the first light flux including light of a first color as S-polarized light, light of a second color as S-polarized light and light of a third color as P-polarized light, and the second light flux including light of the first color as P-polarized light, light of the second color as P-polarized light and light of the third color as S-polarized light, and wherein the plurality of phase plates causes a polarization direction of one light flux in the first and second light fluxes to coincide with a polarization direction of the other light flux, and wherein the wavelength-selective polarization conversion element includes a plurality of substrates each having the polarization splitting surface and the dichroic surface formed alternately on the same surface, and the plurality of substrates are overlapped in a thickness direction so that the polarization splitting surface and the dichroic surface are displaced.