Patent ID: 8400573

Claim:
A polarization conversion optical system comprising: a light incident surface, on which light is incident along an optical axis, wherein the light incident surface is divided into at least first and second light incident regions; a light exit surface including a light transmitting area which is not larger than an area of the light incident surface, wherein the light exit surface is divided into at least first and second light exit regions; a polarization conversion device which faces the first light exit region, and which converts a polarization direction of light incident thereon by 90°; and a plurality of polarization separating surfaces which: divide polarizations of light incident thereon into a first polarization component and a second polarization component which are perpendicular to each other, by deviating at least one of the first and second polarization components in a direction inclined with respect to the optical axis, and emit the first polarization component through the first light exit region and emit the second polarization component through the second light exit region.