Patent ID: 7274427

Claim:
A method of producing an optical element by patterning a plurality of liquid crystal films, comprising: a first step of applying a first radiation-curing liquid crystal to a surface of a substrate having an aligning function, so as to form on the substrate a first liquid crystal film in an uncured state; a second step of selectively applying radiation to a predetermined portion of the first liquid crystal film so as to partially cure the first liquid crystal film; a third step of bringing the partially cured first liquid crystal film into contact with an organic solvent to remove an uncured portion of the first liquid crystal film, thereby forming the first liquid crystal film in a predetermined pattern; and a fourth step of applying a second radiation-curing liquid crystal to a surface of the first liquid crystal film, which remains on the substrate after removing the uncured portion of the first liquid crystal film, thereby forming a second liquid crystal film in a predetermined pattern; wherein, in the second step, the radiation-applied-portion of the first liquid crystal film is cured to such an extent that 90% or more of the first radiation-curing liquid crystal is cured, so as to keep the aligning function of the surface of the first liquid crystal film, to which the second radiation-curing liquid crystal is applied in the fourth step.