Optical device

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical device which can be formed as a thinner layer by a simplified manufacturing process at a reduced cost. Specifically, the optical device has a multilayer structure wherein a polyvinyl alcohol- or polyvinylene-base polarizing film (b) and protective films (a and c) are directly laminated on top of another without any adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer interposed therebetween. The protective film (c) on one side is composed of a triacetyl cellulose, an alicyclic polyolefin resin, or an alicyclic acrylic resin, and the protective film (a) on the other side is composed of a triacetyl cellulose, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyethylene naphthalate, a (meth)acrylate resin, an alicyclic polyolefin resin, or an alicyclic acrylic resin.

1 . An optical device comprising a polarizing plate, said polarizing plate comprising; 
 a polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinylene-base polarizing film and    a protective film laminated on at least one side of a polyvinyl alcohol- or polyvinylene-base polarizing film, and composed of a triacetyl cellulose, a polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, a (meth)acrylate resin, an alicyclic polyolefin resin, or an alicyclic acrylic resin,    wherein the polarizing film and the protective film are directly laminated on top of another without any adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer interposed therebetween,    
     
     
         2 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of the protective film and the polarizing film that are in contact with each other have been treated with energy rays having an energy of at least 5 eV.  
     
     
         3 . The optical device according to  claim 2 , wherein the energy rays are one type selected from among ultraviolet rays, electron beams, and ion beams.  
     
     
         4 . The optical device according to  claim 3 , wherein the energy rays are ultraviolet rays from a ray source selected from among an excimer laser, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a low-pressure mercury lamp, a halogen lamp, and an excimer lamp.  
     
     
         5 . The optical device according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the ray sources is an excimer lamp, and said excimer lamp is a dielectric barrier discharge lamp charged with argon, krypton, or xenon, or with a gas containing argon, krypton, or xenon as a main component.  
     
     
         6 . The optical device according to  claim 2 , wherein the polarizing film surface and/or the protective film surface is in contact with at least one gas selected from the group consisting of air, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, water vapor, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, inert gases, and low-boiling organic compounds, or a mixture of these gases during energy ray irradiation.  
     
     
         7 . The optical device according to  claim 1  adapted for being mounted in a liquid crystal cell of a liquid crystal display device, 
 further comprising a retardation plate and    said retardation plate being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a triacetyl cellulose, a polycarbonate, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl butyral, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polypropylene, a polyallylate, a polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a (meth)acrylate resin, an alicyclic polyolefin resin, and an alicyclic acrylic resin.    wherein the retardation plate is directly laminated, without any adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer interposed therebetween, to the protective film on the liquid crystal cell side in case the protective film is laminated on both sides of the polarizing film, or to the polarizing film on the side where no protective film has been laminated in case the protective film is laminated to only one side of the polarizing film.    
     
     
         8 . The optical device according to  claim 7 , wherein the surfaces of the retardation plate and the polarizing film and/or the protective film that are in contact with each other have been treated with energy rays having an energy of at least 5 eV.  
     
     
         9 . The optical device according to  claim 8 , wherein the energy rays are one type selected from among ultraviolet rays, electron beams, and ion beams.  
     
     
         10 . The optical device according to  claim 9 , wherein the energy rays are ultraviolet rays from a ray source selected from the group consisting of an excimer laser, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a low-pressure mercury lamp, a halogen lamp, and an excimer lamp.  
     
     
         11 . The optical device according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the ray sources is an excimer lamp, and said excimer lamp is a dielectric barrier discharge lamp charged with argon, krypton, or xenon, or with a gas containing argon, krypton, or xenon as a main component.  
     
     
         12 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective film surface on an observer's side is subjected to an antiglare treatment and/or an antireflective treatment.