Patent ID: 7982952

Claim:
A polarization component comprising, at least, two reflective polarizer layers and an intermediate layer disposed between the reflective polarizer layers, wherein the two reflective polarizer layers are reflective linear polarizer layers that selectively transmit one of linearly polarized light beams crossing each other at right angles while selectively reflecting the other one of said linearly polarized light beams, the two reflective linear polarizer layers have selective reflection wavelength bands for selective reflection of polarized light, the bands overlapping each other at least partially, the intermediate layer comprises a single optical layer or a laminate of at least two optical layers, and the intermediate layer has a function of transmitting an incident linearly polarized light beam while changing or not changing a polarization direction, according to an incidence direction, the two reflective linear polarizer layers are disposed at an angle so as to have in-plane slow axis directions for transmitting a light beam that is included in incident linearly polarized light and that enters in a direction perpendicular to the incidence surface while efficiently reflecting a light beam entering from an oblique direction.