Patent ID: 7061455

Claim:
An optical switching element comprising: a total reflection member having a total reflection face by which incident light can be totally reflected; and a plurality of translucent light extracting portions constructing one pixel, each of which can be switched between a first position at which the light extracting portion comes into contact with or is close to the total reflection face of the total reflection member in a distance in which near field light can be extracted and a second position apart from the total reflection face by more than the distance in which the near field light can be extracted, wherein on a face on the side opposite to the total reflection member side of the light extracting portion, a total reflection preventing portion for preventing total reflection by the light extracting portion of incident light passed through the total reflection member when the light extracting portion is in the first position is provided, wherein the total reflection preventing portion is a translucent tapered portion having an angle at which total reflection does not occur, for leading incident light in a direction opposite to the total reflection member side, and wherein areas of faces for extracting incident light of all of the plurality of light extracting portions are different.