Patent ID: 8049823

Claim:
A projector comprising: a light source; a liquid crystal light valve for modulating light emitted from the light source, the liquid crystal light valve comprising: a liquid crystal panel pinching a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates, a pair of polarizing plates disposed with the liquid crystal panel therebetween, a first phase difference plate disposed between the pair of polarizing plates, the first phase difference plate including an optically anisotropic layer having a negative refractive index anisotropy and an optical axis oriented in a thickness direction of the first phase difference plate, and a second phase difference plate disposed between the pair of polarizing plates; a first optical control unit for tilting the first phase difference plate with respect to a panel face of the liquid crystal panel; and a second optical control unit for rotating the second phase difference plate around an axis aligned in a direction of a normal line from the panel face of the liquid crystal panel, wherein the first phase difference plate further includes a first plate-shaped optical member having a first surface and a second surface that faces the first surface, the second surface being tilted with respect to the first surface; the first surface and the second surface each have a substantially rectangular shape; the second surface is tilted in a direction that forms an acute angle with a side of the first surface as viewed from a direction of a normal line from the first surface; and the optically anisotropic layer is formed on the second surface and the optical axis is aligned in a direction of a normal line from the second surface.