Patent ID: 7489435

Claim:
An optical element comprising a set of a plurality of three-dimensional cells: wherein an individual cell is made of a light transmitting material and has a specific amplitude and a specific phase defined therein; a first region, comprising a portion with an area that is in accordance with the specific amplitude defined in the individual cell, and a second region, comprising a portion except the first region, are defined on an upper surface of the individual cell, the first region on the upper surface of the individual cell being formed by a bottom surface of a groove, having a depth that is in accordance with the specific phase defined in the individual cell, a light absorbing layer being formed on the second region on the upper surface of the individual cell, and a light reflecting layer being formed on a bottom surface of the individual cell; and the individual cell has a specific optical characteristic such that when predetermined incident light is provided from the upper surface of the cell, reflection emitted light, with which amplitude and phase of the incident light have been changed in accordance with the specific amplitude and the specific phase defined in the cell, is obtained from the upper surface of the cell.