Patent ID: 8040781

Claim:
A wavelength selecting wavelength plate for providing selective polarizations to a first linearly polarized light group containing at least a linearly polarized light having a first wavelength, and a second linearly polarized light group containing at least a linearly polarized light having a second wavelength which is different from the first wavelength, the wavelength selecting wavelength plate comprising: a first optical rotating plate having an optical rotating material layer formed by a cholesteric liquid crystal, wherein the first optical rotating plate converts an incident polarizing direction of the first linearly polarized light group into a first polarizing direction, and converts an incident polarizing direction of the second linearly polarized light group into a second polarizing direction; and a phase plate which converts light having the first polarizing direction into a circularly polarized light, and which does not effect a phase difference to light having the second polarizing direction, the phase plate being provided on a first surface side of the first optical rotating plate and having first and second birefringent material layers, the first birefringent material layer being closer to the first surface than the second birefringent material layer and having a first retardation value which is greater than a second retardation value of the second birefringent material layer, wherein the first and second birefringent material layers are formed such that their respective slow axes cross each other to form an angle of 45 to 75 degrees, and a ratio of the first retardation value to the second retardation value is from 1.8 to 2.2, whereby, when the first linearly polarized light group containing at least the linearly polarized light having the first wavelength, and the second linearly polarized light group containing at least the linearly polarized light having the second wavelength which is different from the first wavelength, pass through the first optical rotating plate and then through the phase plate in sequence, the first linearly polarized light group is given a phase change which is different from a phase change given to the second linearly polarized light group.