Patent ID: 7385742

Claim:
An image display apparatus comprising: a light source section for supplying an illumination light; a display element for modulating a given illumination light into an image light showing an image; a first reflection type hologram for diffracting and reflecting the illumination light from the light source section so as to guide the illumination light to the display element, the first reflection type hologram having diffusing properties; a second reflection type hologram for guiding an image light from the display element to an eye of a viewer so as to provide an enlarged virtual image of the image; and a transparent plate-shaped prism for holding the second reflection type hologram, wherein the image display apparatus is used with the second reflection type hologram placed in front of the eye of viewer and with the transparent plate-shaped prism facing the eyes, the image light from the display element enters the transparent plate-shaped prism at an end surface thereof so as to be guided to the second reflection type hologram and is guided to the eye of the viewer by the second reflection type hologram as an enlarged virtual image of the image, and a light from an outer world transmits through the plate-shaped prism and the second reflection type hologram so as to be guided to the eye, thereby the viewer can simultaneously see an image of the outer world and the virtual image.