Patent ID: 7527836

Claim:
An optical element comprising: a transparent base material; an alignment property providing layer laminated on the transparent base material; and a refractive index anisotropic layer, laminated on the alignment property providing layer, with an alignment property provided by an alignment limiting force of the alignment property providing layer, wherein the alignment property providing layer comprises an alignment film made from an alignment film composition capable of exhibiting the alignment limiting force by an photo-alignment method, and the refractive index anisotropic layer comprises a liquid crystal layer formed by curing a liquid crystalline composition including a polymerizable liquid crystal material, and a curing degree of the refractive index anisotropic layer changes monotonously with a predetermined gradient in its thickness direction such that, within the refractive index anisotropic layer, the curing degree of a portion closer to the alignment property providing layer is larger, compared with the curing degree of a portion farther from the alignment property providing layer; wherein the alignment film composition for forming the alignment property providing layer includes a polymer having a cinnamoyl group; wherein the alignment film composition further includes a monomer or an oligomer having one or more functional groups, in addition to the polymer; and wherein the monomer or oligomer and the polymerizable liquid crystal material in the refractive index anisotropic layer are a material of a same kind.