Patent ID: 7175889

Claim:
A retardation film comprising: a support; an optically anisotropic layer formed of a compound represented by the following formula (I): [(R 1 ) a —M—(L 1 )] b —(L 2 ) wherein R 1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and at least one —CH 2 — group in said alkyl group is optionally substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(═O)—, —N(R 2 )—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C— but —O— and —O— are not directly bonded in said alkyl group; R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; M represents a group comprising at least three aromatic rings; L 1 represents a single bond or a divalent alkylene group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one —CH 2 — group in said alkylene group is optionally substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(═O)— or —N(R 2 )— but —O— and —O— are not directly bonded in the alkylene group; L 2 represents a cyclic alkene or alkyne group having a valence of b; a represents the number of R 1 (s) substituted on M; and b represents an integer of 2 to 6, wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is a liciuid crystalline compound comprising a polymerizable group.