Patent ID: 7551280

Claim:
A method for manufacturing an optical element including a light transmissive member made of a material having an optical axis and a polarization plate having a polarization layer, the light transmissive member being bonded to a first surface of the polarization plate, the method comprising: preparing a light source, the polarization plate, the light transmissive member, a certificating polarization plate and a spectrophotometer; arranging the light transmissive member between the polarization plate and the certificating polarization plate so that the to polarization plate and the certificating polarization plate are in a crossed Nicols state, and the polarization plate, the light transmissive member and the certificating polarization plate are arranged between the light source and the spectrophotometer in an order such that a light from the light source is incident on the polarization plate, passes through the polarization plate, the light transmissive member and the certificating polarization plate, and is incident on the spectrophotometer, or in an order such that a light from the light source is incident on the certificating polarization plate, passes through the certificating polarization plate, the light transmissive member and the polarization plate, and is incident on the spectrophotometer; measuring a light transmittance spectrum with respect to each rotational position of the light transmissive member within a predetermined wavelength that is incident on the spectrophotometer while the light transmissive member is rotated relative to an axis that is parallel to a central axis of a light transmitting the light transmissive member; determining a rotational position of the light transmissive member based on a measured result of the light transmittance spectrum measured in the measuring of the light transmittance spectrum such that yields a smallest value for a difference between a minimum value and a maximum value of the light transmittance spectrum; and bonding the light transmissive member to the polarization plate at the rotational position of the light transmissive member that is determined in the determining of the rotational position.