Patent ID: 7473446

Claim:
A retarder comprising: a substrate, and on or above the substrate a first optically anisotropic layer formed of a composition comprising a rod-like liquid-crystal compound, in which the rod-like molecules are aligned homogeneously, and substantially generating a phase difference of π at 550 nm, and a second optically anisotropic layer formed of a composition comprising a rod-like liquid-crystal compound, in which the rod-like molecules are aligned homogeneously, and substantially generating a phase difference of π/2 at 550 nm; wherein at least one of the rod-like liquid-crystal compounds is denoted by Formula (I) below; Q 1 -L 1 -A 1 -L 3 -M-L 4 -A 2 -L 2 -Q 2 Formula (I) where, Q 1 and Q 2 respectively denote a polymerizable group; L 1 , L 2 , L 3 and L 4 respectively denote a single bond or a divalent linking group provided that at least either of L 3 and L 4 represents —O—CO—O—; A 1 and A 2 respectively denote C2-20 spacer group, and M denotes a mesogen group; and an in-plane slow axis of the second optically anisotropic layer and an in-plane slow axis of the first optically anisotropic layer cross substantially at 60 degrees.