Optical member and method for manufacturing the same, and optical device using optical member

Abstract

To provide an optical member that has a light guide plate and a low refractive index layer, has a strength sufficient enough to prevent them from being peeled off, and has excellent light guide performance.SOLUTION: An optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention has: a light guide plate; a low refractive index layer that is provided on one principal surface of the light guide plate; a stress relaxation layer that is provided on the low refractive index layer on the opposite side of the light guide plate, and has a storage elastic modulus of 0.01 MPa to 10 MPa; and a protective layer that is provided on the stress relaxation layer on the opposite side of the low refractive index layer, and has an elastic modulus in tension of 20 MPa or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical member, a method for producing the same, and an optical device using the optical member. [Background technology]

[0002] A known technology is to form a low-refractive index layer on a light guide plate, optically isolating the light guided through the light guide plate and guiding the light while minimizing the influence of external factors (e.g., scratches and dirt on the light guide plate). For example, an optical sheet is known in which a low-refractive index layer is laminated on a light guide plate via an adhesive layer. This technology can cause color shift and / or scattering due to the adhesive layer, resulting in light guide loss. To solve this problem, a technology has been investigated in which a low-refractive index layer is directly laminated on a light guide plate. However, when a low-refractive index layer is directly laminated on a light guide plate, the strength of the low-refractive index layer is low, resulting in a problem in that the strength of the laminate is also low. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6606518 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-048451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art, and its main object is to provide an optical element that includes a light guide plate and a low refractive index layer, has sufficient strength as a laminate, and has excellent light guide performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] [1] An optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light guide plate; a low refractive index layer provided on one main surface of the light guide plate; a stress relaxation layer having a storage modulus of 0.01 MPa to 10 MPa provided on the side of the low refractive index layer opposite the light guide plate; and a protective layer having a tensile modulus of 20 MPa or more provided on the side of the stress relaxation layer opposite the low refractive index layer. [2] In the above [1], the refractive index of the low refractive index layer is 1.25 or less. [3] In the above [1] or [2], the low refractive index layer has a thickness of 5 μm or less. [4] In any one of the above [1] to [3], the haze of the low refractive index layer is less than 5%. [5] In any one of the above [1] to [4], the low refractive index layer is directly laminated on the light guide plate. [6] In any one of the above [1] to [5], the stress relaxation layer has a storage modulus of 0.08 MPa to 0.20 MPa and a thickness of 5 μm to 20 μm. [7] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical device, which includes the optical member according to any one of [1] to [6] above. [8] In the above [7], the optical device is selected from a device for AR glasses, a device for MR glasses, a device for VR glasses, a device for a lighting device, or a backlight unit of an image display device. [9] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing an optical member according to any one of [1] to [6] above. The method includes the steps of forming a low refractive index layer on a first substrate to produce a first laminate, providing a stress relief layer and a second substrate in this order on the low refractive index layer of the first laminate to produce an optical laminate, peeling the first substrate from the optical laminate, and laminating the optical laminate from which the first substrate has been peeled and a light guide plate so that the low refractive index layer and the light guide plate are adjacent to each other.

[10] In the above [9], the manufacturing method includes directly laminating the optical laminate from which the first base material has been peeled off and a light guide plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to realize an optical member that includes a light guide plate and a low refractive index layer, has sufficient strength as a laminate, and has excellent light guide performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical element according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating one step in a method for manufacturing an optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another step in the method for manufacturing an optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2C] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating yet another step in the method for manufacturing an optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2D] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating yet another step in the method for manufacturing an optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2E] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating yet another step in the method for manufacturing an optical member according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to these. For clarity, the drawings are schematic, and the thicknesses and sizes of the components of the optical member and the ratios of the thicknesses of the components to each other may differ from the actual figures.

[0009] A. Overall structure of optical components FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical member according to one embodiment of the present invention. The optical member 100 shown in the figure includes a light guide plate 10, a low-refractive index layer 20 provided on one main surface of the light guide plate 10 (the upper main surface in the illustrated example), a stress relief layer 30 provided on the side of the low-refractive index layer 20 opposite the light guide plate 10, and a protective layer 40 provided on the side of the stress relief layer 30 opposite the low-refractive index layer 20. In an embodiment of the present invention, the storage modulus of the stress relief layer is 0.01 MPa to 10 MPa, and the tensile modulus of the protective layer is 20 MPa or more. With this configuration, the low-refractive index layer is laminated on the light guide plate without the use of an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive, and the laminate has sufficient strength. This effect can be enhanced by providing the stress relief layer on the side of the low-refractive index layer opposite the light guide plate. A configuration in which a low refractive index layer is laminated on a light guide plate without the use of an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive can suppress color shift and / or scattering caused by the adhesive or the like, thereby suppressing light guide loss and achieving excellent light guide performance. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an optical component can be realized that has a light guide plate and a low refractive index layer, has sufficient strength as a laminate, and has excellent light guide performance. Furthermore, by setting the storage modulus of the stress relaxation layer and the tensile modulus of the protective layer within the above-mentioned ranges, the effects of the embodiment of the present invention can be made significant.

[0010] The low refractive index layer 20 is typically laminated directly onto the light guide plate 10. In this specification, "direct lamination" refers to lamination of two components (here, the low refractive index layer and the light guide plate) without an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. Here, "direct lamination" also encompasses the case where the low refractive index layer 20 is laminated onto the light guide plate 10 via an adhesion auxiliary layer 50, as in the illustrated example. The adhesion auxiliary layer typically contains a silane coupling agent, and as described below, the formed adhesion auxiliary layer itself does not have any adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive properties. Furthermore, as also described below, the thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer may be so small that it is not clearly recognizable as a layer. Therefore, the configuration shown in the illustrated example may also be included in the "direct lamination" category. Incidentally, providing an adhesion auxiliary layer can achieve even greater strength without impairing the light guide performance of the optical element.

[0011] The total light transmittance of the optical member is preferably 60% to 99%, more preferably 70% to 98%, and even more preferably 80% to 97%. The haze of the optical member is preferably 0.05% to 3%, more preferably 0.1% to 2.5%, and even more preferably 0.2% to 2%. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the optical member as a whole can achieve excellent transparency. As a result, the optical member can be suitably used for AR glasses, MR glasses, and VR glasses (hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as "AR glasses, etc."). Note that "AR" is an abbreviation for "Augmented Reality," "MR" is an abbreviation for "Mixed Reality," and "VR" is an abbreviation for "Virtual Reality."

[0012] The optical member may be in a long shape or in a sheet shape. A long optical member can typically be wound into a roll.

[0013] The components of the optical member will be described in detail below.

[0014] B.Light guide plate The light guide plate 10 is typically configured so that light incident on the light guide plate propagates through the light guide plate by total reflection and is emitted in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position. The light guide plate may be made of glass or resin. Examples of resins include thermoplastic resins and reactive resins (e.g., resins curable with non-ionizing radiation such as ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light). Examples of thermoplastic resins include COC resins and COP resins such as cyclic olefin copolymers and cycloolefin resins, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), styrene resins, polycarbonate (PC) resins, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resins, resins containing one or more of acrylonitrile resins as their main components, and transparent polyimide resins. Examples of reactive resins include non-ionizing radiation curable resins such as acrylic, epoxy, urethane, silicone, and enethiol resins.

[0015] The refractive index of the light guide plate is preferably 1.4 to 2.5, more preferably 1.5 to 2.4, and even more preferably 1.6 to 2.3. If the refractive index is within this range, good light incidence from the outside, good light emission to the outside, and good total reflection inside the light guide plate can be achieved.

[0016] C. Low refractive index layer The low refractive index layer 20 typically has voids inside. The porosity of the low refractive index layer is preferably 35% by volume or more, more preferably 38% by volume or more, and particularly preferably 40% by volume or more. If the porosity is in this range, a low refractive index layer with a particularly low refractive index can be formed. The upper limit of the porosity of the low refractive index layer is, for example, 90% by volume or less, preferably 75% by volume or less. If the porosity is in this range, a low refractive index layer with excellent strength can be formed. The porosity is a value calculated from the refractive index measured with an ellipsometer using the Lorentz-Lorenz formula.

[0017] The refractive index of the low-refractive index layer is, for example, 1.25 or less, preferably 1.23 or less, more preferably 1.22 or less, even more preferably 1.20 or less, and particularly preferably 1.19 or less. On the other hand, the refractive index of the low-refractive index layer is preferably 1.05 or more, more preferably 1.08 or more, and even more preferably 1.10 or more. By providing a low-refractive index layer having such a refractive index on the main surface of the light guide plate, light guide loss can be suppressed without substantially affecting the optical characteristics of the light guide plate, thereby achieving excellent light guide performance. Furthermore, as described below, the low-refractive index layer can be made very thin, which contributes to reducing the thickness and weight of optical components (e.g., AR glasses). Furthermore, if the refractive index of the low-refractive index layer is within the above range, a predetermined mechanical strength can be ensured and breakage can be suppressed. Unless otherwise specified, the refractive index refers to the refractive index measured at a wavelength of 550 nm or the refractive index converted to a 550 nm value from measurements at other wavelengths and the refractive index wavelength dispersion. The refractive index is a value measured by the method described in "(1) Refractive Index of the Low-Refractive Index Layer" in the Examples section below.

[0018] The total light transmittance of the low refractive index layer is preferably 85% to 99%, more preferably 87% to 98%, and even more preferably 89% to 97%. By providing a low refractive index layer having such a refractive index on the main surface of the light guide plate, it is possible to ensure excellent transparency while achieving the effects of the refractive index. As a result, the optical member can be suitably used in AR glasses and the like.

[0019] The haze of the low refractive index layer is, for example, less than 5%, preferably less than 3%. Meanwhile, the haze is, for example, 0.05% or more, preferably 0.1% or more. By providing a low refractive index layer having such a haze on the main surface of a light guide plate, it is possible to ensure excellent transparency while achieving the effects of the refractive index described above. As a result, the optical member can be suitably used in AR glasses and the like. The haze can be measured, for example, by the following method. A low refractive index layer is formed on a 50 mm x 50 mm glass, and the layer is set in a haze meter (Murakami Color Research Laboratory: HM-150) to measure the haze. The haze value is calculated using the following formula. Haze (%) = [Diffuse transmittance (%) / Total light transmittance (%)] x 100 (%)

[0020] The thickness of the low refractive index layer is preferably 5 μm or less, more preferably 4 μm or less, even more preferably 3 μm or less, particularly preferably 2 μm or less, and particularly preferably 1.5 μm or less. On the other hand, the thickness of the low refractive index layer is preferably 300 nm or more, more preferably 400 nm or more, and even more preferably 500 nm or more. If the thickness of the low refractive index layer is in this range, it is possible to effectively suppress light leakage while ensuring excellent transparency.

[0021] The surface roughness Rz of the low-refractive-index layer on the light guide plate side (the first substrate side, described later, during the manufacturing process) is preferably 200 nm or less, more preferably 100 nm or less, and even more preferably 50 nm or less. Since the surface roughness is essentially the same as that of the first substrate on the side in contact with the low-refractive-index layer, the surface roughness can be determined when the low-refractive-index layer-forming material is applied to the first substrate. If the surface roughness Rz of the low-refractive-index layer falls within this range, sufficient adhesion between the low-refractive-index layer and the light guide plate can be ensured during the manufacturing method for optical components, described later. As a result, the first substrate can be properly peeled off without damaging the low-refractive-index layer. Rz refers to the maximum height based on JIS B 0601.

[0022] The low-refractive index layer may have any suitable structure as long as it has the desired properties. The low-refractive index layer is preferably formed by coating or printing. Materials for the low-refractive index layer include those described in International Publication No. 2004 / 113966, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-254183, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-189802. Representative examples include silicon compounds. Examples of silicon compounds include silica-based compounds; hydrolyzable silanes and their partial hydrolyzates and dehydration condensates; silicon compounds containing silanol groups; and activated silica obtained by contacting silicates with acids or ion-exchange resins. Other examples include organic polymers; polymerizable monomers (e.g., (meth)acrylic monomers and styrene-based monomers); and curable resins (e.g., (meth)acrylic resins, fluorine-containing resins, and urethane resins). These materials may be used alone or in combination. The low refractive index layer can be formed by coating or printing a solution or dispersion of such a material.

[0023] The size of the voids (holes) in the low refractive index layer refers to the diameter of the major axis of the voids (holes) out of the diameter of the major axis and the diameter of the minor axis. The size of the voids (holes) is, for example, 2 nm to 500 nm. The size of the voids (holes) is, for example, 2 nm or more, preferably 5 nm or more, more preferably 10 nm or more, and even more preferably 20 nm or more. On the other hand, the size of the voids (holes) is, for example, 500 nm or less, preferably 200 nm or less, and more preferably 100 nm or less. The size of the voids (holes) ranges, for example, from 2 nm to 500 nm, preferably 5 nm to 500 nm, more preferably 10 nm to 200 nm, and even more preferably 20 nm to 100 nm. The size of the voids (holes) can be adjusted to a desired size depending on the purpose and application. The size of the voids (holes) can be quantified by a BET test method.

[0024] The size of the voids (pores) can be quantified using the BET test method. Specifically, 0.1 g of the sample (the formed void layer) is placed in the capillary of a high-precision gas adsorption measurement device (Microtrac's BELLSORP MINI), and then dried under reduced pressure at room temperature for 24 hours to remove the gas from the void structure. Nitrogen gas is then adsorbed onto the sample, and an adsorption isotherm is plotted to determine the pore distribution. This allows the void size to be evaluated.

[0025] Examples of the low refractive index layer having voids therein include a low refractive index layer and / or a low refractive index layer having an air layer at least in a part thereof. The low refractive index layer typically contains aerogel and / or particles (e.g., hollow fine particles and / or porous particles). The low refractive index layer is preferably a nanoporous layer (specifically, a layer in which 90% or more of the micropores have a diameter of 10 -1 nm~10 3 The layer may be a low refractive index layer in the range of 100 nm.

[0026] Any suitable particles may be used as the particles. The particles are typically made of a silica-based compound. Examples of particle shapes include spherical, plate-like, needle-like, string-like, and bunch-of-grapes shapes. Examples of string-like particles include particles in which multiple spherical, plate-like, or needle-like particles are strung together like beads, short fiber-like particles (e.g., the short fiber-like particles described in JP 2001-188104 A), and combinations thereof. String-like particles may be linear or branched. Examples of bunch-of-grapes-like particles include particles in which multiple spherical, plate-like, and needle-like particles aggregate to form a bunch of grapes. The particle shape can be confirmed, for example, by observation with a transmission electron microscope.

[0027] An example of a specific configuration of the low refractive index layer will be described below. The low refractive index layer of this embodiment is composed of one or more types of structural units that form a fine void structure, and the structural units are chemically bonded to each other via catalytic action. Examples of the shape of the structural units include particulate, fibrous, rod-like, and flat-plate-like. The structural units may have only one shape, or may have two or more shapes in combination. Below, we will mainly describe the case where the low refractive index layer is a porous layer in which the above-mentioned fine-pore particles are chemically bonded to each other.

[0028] Such a void layer can be formed, for example, by chemically bonding microporous particles together in the void layer-forming step. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the "particles" (e.g., the microporous particles) is not particularly limited and may be, for example, spherical or another shape. In an embodiment of the present invention, the microporous particles may be, for example, sol-gel beaded particles, nanoparticles (hollow nanosilica nanoballoon particles), nanofibers, etc. The microporous particles typically include inorganic substances. Specific examples of inorganic substances include silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), and zirconium (Zr). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In one embodiment, the microporous particles are, for example, microporous particles of a silicon compound, and the porous body is, for example, a silicone porous body. The microporous particles of the silicon compound include, for example, a pulverized gel silica compound. Another example of a low-refractive-index layer and / or a low-refractive-index layer having at least a partial air layer is a void layer made of a fibrous material such as nanofibers, which are entangled to form voids. The method for producing such a void layer is not particularly limited, and can be the same as that for the void layer of a porous material in which microporous particles are chemically bonded to each other. Further examples include void layers made of hollow nanoparticles or nanoclay, and void layers made of hollow nanoballoons or magnesium fluoride. The void layer may be made of a single constituent material or a plurality of constituent materials. The void layer may be made of a single constituent material or a plurality of constituent materials.

[0029] In this embodiment, the porous structure of the porous body may be, for example, an open-cell structure, in which the pores are interconnected. An open-cell structure refers to, for example, the three-dimensional interconnection of the pores in the silicone porous body, and can also be described as a state in which the internal voids of the pore structure are interconnected. Having an open-cell structure in a porous body can increase the porosity. However, when closed-cell particles (particles with individual pore structures) such as hollow silica are used, an open-cell structure cannot be formed. On the other hand, when silica sol particles (pulverized gel-like silicon compound forming a sol) are used, the particles have a three-dimensional dendritic structure, and the dendritic particles settle and deposit in the coating film (coated film of a sol containing the pulverized gel-like silicon compound), thereby easily forming an open-cell structure. The low refractive index layer more preferably has a monolithic structure in which the open-cell structure includes a distribution of multiple pores. The monolithic structure refers, for example, to a hierarchical structure including a structure with nano-sized voids and an open-cell structure in which the nano-voids are aggregated. When forming a monolithic structure, for example, it is possible to achieve both membrane strength with fine pores and high porosity with coarse open-cell pores. Such a monolithic structure can be preferably formed by controlling the pore distribution of the resulting pore structure in the gel (gel silicon compound) prior to pulverization into silica sol particles. In addition, for example, when pulverizing the gel silicon compound, the monolithic structure can be formed by controlling the particle size distribution of the pulverized silica sol particles to a desired size.

[0030] The low refractive index layer contains, for example, pulverized gel compounds as described above, and the pulverized compounds are chemically bonded together. The form of the chemical bond between the pulverized compounds in the low refractive index layer is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include cross-linking, covalent bonding, and hydrogen bonding.

[0031] The volume average particle diameter of the pulverized material in the low refractive index layer is, for example, 10 nm or more, preferably 20 nm or more, and more preferably 30 nm or more. On the other hand, the volume average particle diameter is, for example, 500 nm or less, preferably 400 nm or less, and more preferably 300 nm or less. The volume average particle diameter ranges, for example, from 10 nm to 500 nm, preferably from 20 nm to 400 nm, and more preferably from 30 nm to 300 nm. The particle size distribution can be measured, for example, using a particle size distribution evaluation device such as a dynamic light scattering method or a laser diffraction method, or an electron microscope such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The volume average particle diameter is an index of the particle size variation of the pulverized material. Specifically, the D10, D50, and D90 indices can be used, and the D50 indices can be used as the particle size value.

[0032] The type of gel compound is not particularly limited, and examples of the gel compound include gel silicon compounds.

[0033] In addition, in the low refractive index layer (void layer), for example, it is preferable that the silicon atoms contained therein are siloxane-bonded. Specifically, the proportion of unbonded silicon atoms (i.e., residual silanols) among all silicon atoms contained in the void layer is, for example, less than 50%, preferably 30% or less, and more preferably 15% or less.

[0034] An example of a method for forming such a low refractive index layer will be described below.

[0035] This method typically includes a precursor formation step of forming a void structure on a light guide plate, which is a precursor of a low-refractive index layer (void layer), and a crosslinking reaction step of inducing a crosslinking reaction within the precursor after the precursor formation step. This method further includes a liquid-containing step of preparing a liquid containing microporous particles (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "microporous particle-containing liquid" or simply "containing liquid") and a drying step of drying the liquid containing the microporous particles. In the precursor formation step, the microporous particles in the dried body are chemically bonded to each other to form a precursor. The liquid containing the microporous particles is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a suspension containing microporous particles. The following description mainly focuses on the case where the microporous particles are a pulverized gel compound and the void layer is a porous body (preferably a silicone porous body) containing the pulverized gel compound. However, the low-refractive index layer can also be formed in a similar manner when the microporous particles are not a pulverized gel compound.

[0036] According to the above method, for example, a low refractive index layer (void layer) having a very low refractive index is formed. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. However, this presumption does not limit the method for forming the low refractive index layer.

[0037] Since the above-mentioned pulverized material is obtained by pulverizing a gel silicon compound, the three-dimensional structure of the gel silicon compound before pulverization is dispersed in the three-dimensional basic structure. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned method, the crushed material of the gel silicon compound is applied to a resin film to form a precursor of a porous structure based on the three-dimensional basic structure. In other words, according to the above-mentioned method, a new porous structure (three-dimensional basic structure) is formed by applying the crushed material, which is different from the three-dimensional structure of the gel silicon compound. Therefore, the finally obtained void layer can achieve a low refractive index that functions to the same extent as an air layer, for example. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned method, the crushed material is chemically bonded to each other, so the three-dimensional basic structure is fixed. Therefore, the finally obtained void layer can maintain sufficient strength and flexibility despite having a void structure.

[0038] The specific configuration and formation method of the low refractive index layer are described in detail in, for example, International Publication No. 2019 / 151073, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] D. Stress relief layer The stress relaxation layer 30 may typically be made of an adhesive. The adhesive that makes up the stress relaxation layer typically has a hardness that does not penetrate into the voids in the low refractive index layer under normal conditions. Therefore, the storage modulus of the stress relaxation layer at 23°C is, for example, 0.01 MPa (0.1 × 10 5 The storage modulus of the stress relaxation layer at 23°C may be in the range of 0.02 MPa or more, more preferably 0.04 MPa or more, even more preferably 0.06 MPa or more, particularly preferably 0.08 MPa or more, and especially preferably 0.10 MPa or more. When the lower limit of the storage modulus is in this range, the adverse effect of the pressure-sensitive adhesive constituting the stress relaxation layer on the low refractive index layer is suppressed, and the effect of the low refractive index layer (excellent light-guiding performance) can be well maintained. On the other hand, the storage modulus of the stress relaxation layer at 23°C is preferably 5 MPa or less, more preferably 3 MPa or less, even more preferably 1 MPa or less, particularly preferably 0.70 MPa or less, especially preferably 0.50 MPa or less, and most preferably 0.20 MPa or less. When the upper limit of the storage modulus is in this range, the stress relaxation layer has excellent durability, a buffering function (cushioning function) against external forces, and softness that can suppress peeling and / or damage of the low refractive index layer. The storage modulus is determined by reading the value at 23°C when measuring at a temperature rising rate of 5°C / min in the range of -50°C to 150°C under conditions of a frequency of 1 Hz in accordance with the method described in JIS K 7244-1 "Plastics - Test methods for dynamic mechanical properties."

[0040] The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the stress relaxation layer is preferably 0° C. or lower, more preferably −100° C. to −5° C., and even more preferably −90° C. to −10° C. If the Tg of the stress relaxation layer is within this range, a stress relaxation layer that can achieve both excellent buffering function and excellent light-guiding performance can be achieved, similar to the effect achieved by setting the storage modulus within the above range.

[0041] Any appropriate adhesive may be used as the adhesive constituting the stress relaxation layer as long as it has the above-mentioned properties. A typical example of the adhesive is an acrylic adhesive (acrylic adhesive composition). An acrylic adhesive composition typically contains a (meth)acrylic polymer as the main component (base polymer). The (meth)acrylic polymer may be contained in the adhesive composition in a proportion of, for example, 50% by weight or more, preferably 70% by weight or more, and more preferably 90% by weight or more of the solid content of the adhesive composition. The (meth)acrylic polymer contains alkyl(meth)acrylate as a monomer unit as the main component. Here, (meth)acrylate refers to acrylate and / or methacrylate. Examples of the alkyl group of the alkyl(meth)acrylate include linear or branched alkyl groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms. The average number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is preferably 3 to 9. Monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic polymer include, in addition to alkyl (meth)acrylates, comonomers such as carboxyl group-containing monomers, hydroxyl group-containing monomers, amide group-containing monomers, aromatic ring-containing (meth)acrylates, and heterocyclic ring-containing (meth)acrylates. The comonomers are preferably hydroxyl group-containing monomers and / or heterocyclic ring-containing (meth)acrylates, more preferably N-acryloylmorpholine. The acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive composition may preferably contain a silane coupling agent and / or a crosslinking agent. Examples of silane coupling agents include epoxy group-containing silane coupling agents. Examples of crosslinking agents include isocyanate-based crosslinking agents and peroxide-based crosslinking agents. Details of such stress relaxation layers or acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are described, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 4140736, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0042] The thickness of the stress relaxation layer can vary depending on the storage modulus. That is, in consideration of the buffer function (cushion function) against external forces, a larger thickness is preferable; in consideration of light guiding performance, a smaller thickness is preferable; and if the stress relaxation layer has a small storage modulus (is softer), the thickness can be made relatively small. Taking these factors into consideration overall, the thickness of the stress relaxation layer is, for example, 1 μm to 50 μm, preferably 2 μm to 40 μm, more preferably 3 μm to 30 μm, even more preferably 4 μm to 20 μm, particularly preferably 5 μm to 15 μm, and especially preferably 6 μm to 12 μm. If the thickness is within this range, a stress relaxation layer that can achieve both excellent buffer function and excellent light guiding performance can be realized. In this case, the storage modulus of the stress relaxation layer at 23°C may be, for example, 0.08 MPa to 0.20 MPa, or may be, for example, 0.09 MPa to 0.18 MPa, or may be, for example, 0.10 MPa to 0.15 MPa, or may be, for example, 0.12 MPa to 0.14 MPa.

[0043] E. Protective layer As described above, the tensile modulus of the protective layer 40 is 20 MPa or more, preferably 30 MPa or more, more preferably 50 MPa or more, even more preferably 100 MPa or more, and particularly preferably 300 MPa or more. On the other hand, the tensile modulus of the protective layer is preferably 10 GPa or less, more preferably 8 GPa or less, and even more preferably 6 GPa or less. If the tensile modulus of the protective layer is within this range, excellent surface protection performance can be imparted and damage to the low refractive index layer can be suppressed when the optical member is put into practical use.

[0044] The Tg of the protective layer is preferably 20° C. or higher, more preferably 40° C. or higher, even more preferably 60° C. or higher, and particularly preferably 70° C. or higher. On the other hand, the Tg of the protective layer may be, for example, 250° C. or lower. If the Tg of the protective layer is within this range, similar to the effect achieved by setting the tensile modulus within the above range, when the optical component is put into practical use, excellent surface protection performance can be imparted and damage to the low refractive index layer can be suppressed.

[0045] The protective layer is composed of any appropriate resin film as long as it can satisfy the above-mentioned characteristics. Examples of materials for forming the resin film include (meth)acrylic resins, cellulose resins such as diacetyl cellulose and triacetyl cellulose, cycloolefin resins such as norbornene resins, olefin resins such as polypropylene, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate resins, polyamide resins, polycarbonate resins, and copolymer resins thereof. Preferably, the resin is a (meth)acrylic resin or a polyester resin. Note that "(meth)acrylic resin" refers to an acrylic resin and / or a methacrylic resin.

[0046] The thickness of the protective layer may be, for example, 3 μm to 200 μm. If the thickness of the protective layer is within this range, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the optical member, and when the optical member is put to practical use, it is possible to impart excellent surface protection performance and suppress damage to the low refractive index layer. Furthermore, as will be described later, it is possible to impart to the obtained optical laminate (intermediate) adequate strength for producing an optical member as a final product. The thickness of the protective layer may vary depending on the purpose, constituent materials, etc. The thickness of the protective layer may be, for example, 5 μm to 190 μm, or, for example, 10 μm to 150 μm, or, for example, 15 μm to 130 μm, or, for example, 20 μm to 100 μm.

[0047] A hard coat layer and / or an antireflection layer may be provided on the side of the protective layer opposite the stress relaxation layer. By providing a hard coat layer, damage to the low refractive index layer can be further suppressed. The hard coat layer preferably has a pencil hardness of H or higher, more preferably 2H or higher, and even more preferably 3H or higher. Meanwhile, the pencil hardness of the hard coat layer is preferably 6H or lower, more preferably 5H or lower. The pencil hardness can be measured based on the "Pencil Hardness Test" of JIS K 5400. The thickness of the hard coat layer may be, for example, 0.5 μm to 30 μm, or may be, for example, 1 μm to 20 μm, or may be, for example, 2 μm to 15 μm. Details of the hard coat layer are described, for example, in JP-A Nos. 2011-237789 and 2016-224443. The disclosures of these publications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0048] The antireflection layer may have any suitable configuration. Typical configurations of the antireflection layer include: (1) a single layer of a low-refractive-index layer having an optical thickness of 120 nm to 140 nm and a refractive index of approximately 1.35 to 1.55; (2) a laminate having, from the light guide plate side, a medium-refractive-index layer, a high-refractive-index layer, and a low-refractive-index layer; and (3) an alternating multilayer laminate of high-refractive-index layers and low-refractive-index layers. The thickness of such an antireflection layer is, for example, approximately 5 nm to 300 nm. The antireflection layer may be a cured layer of a non-ionizing radiation-curable resin composition. The thickness of such an antireflection layer may be, for example, 1.0 μm to 20 μm, or, for example, 2.0 μm to 10 μm, or, for example, 3.0 μm to 7.0 μm. In any of the embodiments, the materials and methods for forming the antireflection layer are well known in the art, and therefore, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0049] F. Adhesion aid layer As described above, the adhesion auxiliary layer typically contains a silane coupling agent. Examples of the silane coupling agent include an acrylic silane coupling agent, an amino silane coupling agent, an epoxy silane coupling agent, and a mercapto silane coupling agent. The silane coupling agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In one embodiment, the silane coupling agent includes an acrylic silane coupling agent, and may include, for example, a combination of an acrylic silane coupling agent with an amino silane coupling agent, an epoxy silane coupling agent, a mercapto silane coupling agent, or a combination thereof (another silane coupling agent). The acrylic silane coupling agent and the other silane coupling agent may each be used alone or in combination of two or more. By providing an adhesion auxiliary layer containing a silane coupling agent, even better strength can be achieved without impairing the light-guiding performance of the optical component.

[0050] The acrylic silane coupling agent is typically a silane coupling agent having a (meth)acrylic group in its skeleton. Examples of the acrylic silane coupling agent include 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, methacryloxymethyltrimethoxysilane, methacryloxymethyltriethoxysilane, acryloxymethyltrimethoxysilane, acryloxymethyltriethoxysilane, and 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane. Furthermore, many acrylic silane coupling agent products are commercially available. Specific examples of commercially available products include KBM-502 and KBM-5103 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. Preferably, 3-acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane or 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane is used.

[0051] Examples of amino-based silane coupling agents include γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(β-aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(β-aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-(β-aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-phenylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane, and 3-triethoxysilyl-N-(1,3-dimethylbutylidene)propylamine. Furthermore, many amino-based silane coupling agents are commercially available. Specific examples of commercially available products include KBM-903, KBE-9103, KBM-575, and KBM-6123 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., and A-1102, A-1122, and A-1170 manufactured by Momentive Performance Materials Japan, Inc. Preferably, it is 3-triethoxysilyl-N-(1,3-dimethyl-butylidene)propylamine.

[0052] Examples of epoxy-based silane coupling agents include γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane, and γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane. Furthermore, many epoxy-based silane coupling agent products are commercially available. Specific examples of commercially available products include KBM-402 and KBM-403 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. Preferred is γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane.

[0053] Examples of mercapto-based silane coupling agents include γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, and γ-mercaptopropylmethyldiethoxysilane. Furthermore, many mercapto-based silane coupling agents are commercially available. A specific example of a commercially available product is X-12-1056ES manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

[0054] When an acrylic silane coupling agent is used in combination with another silane coupling agent, the content ratio of the acrylic silane coupling agent to the other silane coupling agent, assuming the total amount of the silane coupling agents to be 100, is preferably 40 / 60 to 60 / 40, more preferably 45 / 55 to 55 / 45, even more preferably 47 / 53 to 53 / 47, and particularly preferably about 50 / 50.

[0055] The thinner the thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer, the better, as long as it has the function of assisting adhesion between the light guide plate and the low refractive index layer. This is because adverse effects on light guide performance are minimized. Specifically, the thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer is preferably 500 nm or less, more preferably 100 nm or less, even more preferably 50 nm or less, particularly preferably 10 nm or less, particularly preferably 5 nm or less, and most preferably 4 nm or less. The thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer may be, for example, 0.5 nm or more, or may be, for example, 0.7 nm or more. The thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer may be, for example, 0.8 nm to 3.5 nm, or may be, for example, 0.9 nm to 3 nm. If the thickness of the adhesion auxiliary layer is very small (for example, 3 nm or less), it may not be clearly recognized as a layer, as described above.

[0056] The adhesion aid layer can be formed by applying a solution of a silane coupling agent (silane compound) dissolved in an appropriate solvent (e.g., water or isopropyl alcohol) to the surface of a light guide plate, laminating a low refractive index layer, and then drying the solution. As described above, the adhesion aid layer itself after drying (formation) does not have an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive function, but it can assist and / or promote adhesion between the light guide plate and the low refractive index layer when the applied film of the solution dries.

[0057] G. Manufacturing methods for optical components According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing the above-described optical member. The method includes the steps of forming a low-refractive index layer on a first substrate to produce a first laminate; providing a stress relief layer and a second substrate, in this order, on the low-refractive index layer of the first laminate to produce an optical laminate; peeling the first substrate from the optical laminate; and laminating the optical laminate from which the first substrate has been peeled and the light guide plate so that the low-refractive index layer and the light guide plate are adjacent to each other. Each step will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 2A to 2E. Note that the lamination in each step may be performed by roll-to-roll or batchwise, such as roll-to-sheet or sheet-to-sheet.

[0058] G-1. First laminate manufacturing process 2A, a low refractive index layer 20 is formed on a first substrate 60 to produce a first laminate. The low refractive index layer can be formed by applying or printing a solution or dispersion of the material for forming the low refractive index layer described in Section C above, and drying the applied or printed film.

[0059] The peel strength between the first substrate 60 and the low refractive index layer is preferably 0.5 N / 25 mm or less, more preferably 0.4 N / 25 mm or less, even more preferably 0.3 N / 25 mm or less, particularly preferably 0.2 N / 25 mm or less, and particularly preferably 0.15 N / 25 mm or less. Meanwhile, the peel strength may be, for example, 0.01 N / 25 mm or more, or, for example, 0.02 N / 25 mm or more. When the peel strength between the first substrate and the low refractive index layer is within this range, the resulting optical laminate (intermediate) has a strength suitable for producing an optical component as a final product, and the first substrate can be easily peeled off.

[0060] The first substrate may have any suitable structure as long as it can form a low refractive index layer and has the above-mentioned peel strength between it and the low refractive index layer. For example, the first substrate may be a single resin film or a laminated film containing two or more resin layers. When the first substrate is a single resin film, the specific structure is as described above in Section E regarding the protective layer.

[0061] When the first substrate is a laminated film containing two or more resin layers, the first substrate typically has a first resin layer and a second resin layer, in that order from the low refractive index layer side. The first resin layer is typically a solidified layer of a coating film of a resin solution; the second resin layer typically has the same structure as when the first substrate is a single resin film. In one embodiment, the first resin layer contains a cycloolefin-based resin, and the second resin layer contains a polyester-based resin. This structure can further improve the strength of the resulting optical laminate and the peelability of the first substrate.

[0062] G-2. Optical laminate manufacturing process Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a stress relief layer 30 and a second substrate 40 are sequentially laminated on the low refractive index layer 20 of the first laminate to produce an optical laminate. The stress relief layer 30 is typically formed on any suitable substrate and then transferred to the first laminate (substantially the low refractive index layer). The second substrate 40 is bonded to the first laminate via the stress relief layer 30. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2C, a second laminate may be produced by forming the stress relief layer 30 on the second substrate 40, and the first laminate and the second laminate may be laminated via the stress relief layer 30 to produce an optical laminate as shown in FIG. 2B.

[0063] In any of the above embodiments, the lamination of the stress relief layer or the second laminate onto the first laminate can preferably be performed consecutively from the preparation of the first laminate. In other words, the preparation of the optical laminate can be performed without first winding up the first laminate into a roll. This configuration can prevent scratches or contamination of the low refractive index layer when winding up the first laminate into a roll, and deformation and / or damage of the low refractive index layer due to tight winding. The obtained optical laminate can be wound into a roll as needed. The roll-shaped optical laminate can be stored and then subjected to subsequent processes, or can be subjected to subsequent processes without storage.

[0064] G-3. First substrate peeling process Next, as shown in FIG. 2D, the first substrate 60 is peeled off from the optical laminate. Peeling of the first substrate can be performed by any appropriate means. As described above, since the first substrate and the low refractive index layer are configured to have an appropriate peel strength, peeling failure can be significantly suppressed.

[0065] G-4. Optical component manufacturing process Finally, the optical laminate from which the first substrate 60 has been peeled is laminated on the light guide plate 10 to produce an optical element. The optical laminate and the light guide plate may be laminated directly (not shown) or via an adhesion auxiliary layer 50 as shown in FIG. 2E. In either case, lamination may be performed under pressure. The pressure during lamination may be, for example, 0.008 MPa to 5 MPa. When an adhesion auxiliary layer is used, as described above, a solution of a silane coupling agent dissolved in an appropriate solvent (e.g., isopropyl alcohol, water, or a mixture thereof) is applied to the surface of the light guide plate, and the low refractive index layer is laminated thereon, followed by drying. This forms an adhesion auxiliary layer and adheres the light guide plate and the low refractive index layer to each other. The drying temperature may be, for example, 35°C to 150°C; the drying time may be, for example, 0.5 minutes to 24 hours. In the obtained optical element, the second substrate 40 may function as a protective layer.

[0066] H. Optical Devices The optical members described in the above items A to G can be applied to optical devices. Accordingly, optical devices including the optical members are also encompassed within the scope of the present invention. Representative examples of optical devices include devices for AR glasses, MR glasses, and VR glasses that display superimposed virtual visual information. Other representative examples of optical devices include devices for lighting devices and backlight units for image display devices. [Example]

[0067] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. The methods for measuring each property are as follows. Unless otherwise specified, "%" and "parts" in the examples are by weight.

[0068] (1) Refractive index of the low refractive index layer After laminating a low refractive index layer with a protective layer onto a glass light guide plate, a laser (λ = 407 nm) was incident from the glass light guide plate side using a prism coupler (manufactured by Metricon), and the refractive index at 407 nm was calculated from the measured value of the total reflection angle. This was then converted to a refractive index at 550 nm from the wavelength dispersion of the low refractive index film alone, which was calculated separately using an ellipsometer (manufactured by J.A. Woollam).

[0069] (2) Strength of optical components The optical members obtained in the examples and comparative examples were sampled into strips measuring 50 mm x 140 mm, and the light guide plate side was fixed to a stainless steel plate with double-sided tape. An acrylic adhesive layer (20 μm thick) was attached to a PET film (T100: manufactured by Mitsubishi Plastics Film Co., Ltd.), and a piece of adhesive tape cut to 25 mm x 100 mm was attached to the protective layer of the optical member to prepare a test sample. The test sample was then chucked in an autograph tensile tester (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation: AG-Xplus) with a chuck distance of 100 mm, and a tensile test was performed at a pulling rate of 0.3 m / min. The average test force (N / 25 mm) obtained after a 50 mm peel test was used as the strength of the optical member. The strength was also measured again after 24 hours in an environment of 60°C / 90% RH.

[0070] (3) Light guiding performance A prism was attached to the light guide plate of the optical member obtained in each of the examples and comparative examples, and light for an image was allowed to enter and guide into the light guide plate through the prism. A prism was also attached to the end of the light guide plate opposite the light entrance portion for the purpose of emitting light, and the emitted image was visually confirmed and evaluated according to the following criteria. ○ (Good): No change was observed from the image when light was incident × (Poor): Image distortion and / or reduced brightness was observed compared to the image when light was incident

[0071] [Production Example 1] Preparation of coating liquid for forming low refractive index layer (1) Gelation of silicon compounds Mixture A was prepared by dissolving 0.95 g of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), a precursor of a silicon compound, in 2.2 g of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). 0.5 g of a 0.01 mol / L aqueous solution of oxalic acid was added to this mixture A, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes to hydrolyze the MTMS, producing mixture B containing tris(hydroxy)methylsilane. To 5.5 g of DMSO, 0.38 g of 28 wt % aqueous ammonia and 0.2 g of pure water were added, and then the above mixed solution B was further added and stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes to gel the tris(hydroxy)methylsilane, thereby obtaining mixed solution C containing a gel-like silicon compound. (2) Aging treatment The mixed solution C containing the gel-like silicon compound prepared as above was incubated as is at 40° C. for 20 hours for aging treatment. (3) Crushing Next, the gel-like silicon compound aged as described above was crushed into granules of several mm to several cm in size using a spatula. Next, 40 g of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was added to mixed solution C, and after light stirring, the mixture was left to stand at room temperature for 6 hours, and the solvent and catalyst in the gel were decanted. The same decantation process was repeated three times to replace the solvent, yielding mixed solution D. The gel-like silicon compound in mixed solution D was then crushed (high-pressure media-less crushing). The crushing process (high-pressure media-less crushing) was carried out using a homogenizer (manufactured by SMT Corporation, product name "UH-50"), with 1.85 g of the gel-like compound and 1.15 g of IPA in mixed solution D weighed into a 5 cc screw bottle, and crushed for 2 minutes at 50 W and 20 kHz. This pulverization treatment pulverized the gel-like silicon compound in the mixed solution D, and the mixed solution D became a pulverized sol solution E. Furthermore, to 0.75 g of the sol solution E, 0.062 g of a 1.5 wt % MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) solution of a photobase generator (Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.: product name WPBG266) and 0.036 g of a 5% MEK solution of bis(trimethoxysilyl)hexane were added in a ratio of 0.062 g to obtain a coating liquid for forming a low refractive index layer.

[0072] [Production Example 2] Preparation of adhesive constituting stress relaxation layer A four-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, thermometer, nitrogen gas inlet, and condenser was charged with 90.7 parts butyl acrylate, 6 parts N-acryloylmorpholine, 3 parts acrylic acid, 0.3 parts 2-hydroxybutyl acrylate, and 0.1 parts by weight of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as a polymerization initiator, along with 100 g of ethyl acetate. Nitrogen gas was introduced with gentle stirring to replace the atmosphere. The temperature in the flask was maintained at around 55°C for 8 hours to prepare an acrylic polymer solution. An acrylic adhesive solution was prepared by blending 0.2 parts of an isocyanate crosslinker (Coronate L, an adduct of trimethylolpropane and tolylene diisocyanate, manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.), 0.3 parts of benzoyl peroxide (Niper BMT, manufactured by Nippon Oil & Fats Corporation), and 0.2 parts of γ-glycidoxypropyl methoxysilane (KBM-403, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) per 100 parts of the solids content of the resulting acrylic polymer solution. Next, the acrylic adhesive solution was applied to one side of a silicone-treated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Polyester Film Corporation, thickness: 38 μm) so that the adhesive layer would have a thickness of 10 μm after drying, and the film was dried at 150°C for 3 minutes to form an adhesive layer. The storage modulus of the resulting adhesive was 1.3 × 10 5 Pa (0.13 MPa) and Tg was −60° C. This pressure-sensitive adhesive layer was used as a stress relaxation layer.

[0073] [Example 1] A commercially available cycloolefin resin (COP) (Zeonex F52R, manufactured by Zeon Corporation) was dissolved in a mixed solvent of ethylcyclohexane and limonene (mixing ratio: 80 / 20) to prepare a resin solution (solids concentration: 5%). The resin solution was applied to the surface of a commercially available polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film (thickness: 50 μm) and dried to form a 2 μm-thick COP layer, resulting in a laminated film having a first resin layer (COP layer) / second resin layer (PET layer) configuration. The resulting laminated film was used as a first substrate. The low-refractive-index layer-forming coating solution obtained in Production Example 1 was applied to the COP layer surface of the first substrate and dried to form a 2 μm-thick low-refractive-index layer. The porosity of the low-refractive-index layer was 56% by volume, and the refractive index was 1.18. Next, the stress relaxation layer (thickness: 10 μm) formed in Production Example 2 was transferred to the surface of the low-refractive-index layer. Furthermore, an acrylic film (thickness 30 μm, tensile modulus 3650 MPa, Tg: 100° C.) was laminated as a protective layer (second base material) on the surface of the stress relaxation layer, to obtain an optical laminate. The lamination was performed by roll-to-roll.

[0074] The first substrate was peeled off from the obtained optical laminate. Separately, the low refractive index layer side of the optical laminate from which the first substrate had been peeled off was bonded to the corona-treated surface of a glass plate for a light guide plate, the surface of which had been corona-treated, via an aqueous solution (0.5%) of an amino-silane coupling agent ("KBM-903" manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) that would serve as an adhesion aid layer. The bonding was performed under a pressure of 0.01 MPa. After bonding, the optical member was dried at 40°C for 10 hours to obtain an optical member. The thickness of the adhesion aid layer in the obtained optical member was 3 nm. The obtained optical member was subjected to the evaluation of the "strength" and "light guide performance" described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0075] [Example 2] An optical member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the silane coupling agent was changed to an epoxy-based silane coupling agent ("KBM-403" manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluations as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0076] [Example 3] An optical member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a PET film (thickness 75 μm, tensile modulus 4000 MPa, Tg: 78° C.) was used as the protective layer (second substrate) instead of the acrylic film. The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluations as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0077] [Example 4] An optical member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that bonding was performed via water instead of the adhesion auxiliary layer. The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluations as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0078] [Comparative Example 1] A low refractive index layer was formed on the surface of the same protective layer (second substrate) as in Example 1 in the same manner as in Example 1. An optical member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a laminate of protective layer / low refractive index layer was used. That is, an optical member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a stress relaxation layer was not provided between the protective layer and the low refractive index layer. The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluation as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0079] Comparative Example 2 An optical member was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the PET film of Example 3 was used as the protective layer (second substrate). The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluations as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0080] Comparative Example 3 A low refractive index layer was formed on the surface of a protective layer (second substrate) similar to that of Example 1 in the same manner as in Example 1. Furthermore, an adhesive layer similar to that of the stress relaxation layer of Example 1 was transferred to the surface of the low refractive index layer. The obtained laminate was attached to a glass plate for a light guide plate similar to that of Example 1 via the adhesive layer to obtain an optical member. The obtained optical member was subjected to the same evaluations as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0081] [Table 1]

[0082] As is clear from Table 1, the examples of the present invention provide optical members that have a light guide plate and a low refractive index layer, have sufficient strength as a laminate, and have excellent light guide performance. More specifically, by providing a stress relief layer on the side of the low refractive index layer opposite the light guide plate, the peel force between the light guide plate and the low refractive index layer is increased (resulting in increased strength as a laminate), and by not using an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive to laminate the light guide plate and the low refractive index layer, excellent light guide performance can be achieved. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] The optical member according to the embodiment of the present invention can be suitably used in optical devices such as devices for AR glasses, devices for MR glasses, devices for VR glasses, devices for lighting devices, and backlight units for image display devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10 Light guide plate 20 Low refractive index layer 30 Stress relief layer 40 Protective layer (second substrate) 50 Adhesion auxiliary layer 60 First substrate 100 Optical Components

Claims

1. a light guide plate; a low refractive index layer provided on one main surface of the light guide plate; a stress relaxation layer having a storage modulus of 0.01 MPa to 10 MPa, which is provided on the side of the low refractive index layer opposite to the light guide plate; a protective layer having a tensile modulus of elasticity of 20 MPa or more, which is provided on the side of the stress relaxation layer opposite to the low refractive index layer; An optical member comprising:

2. 2. The optical member according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the low refractive index layer is 1.25 or less.

3. The optical member according to claim 2 , wherein the low refractive index layer has a thickness of 5 μm or less.

4. The optical member according to claim 3 , wherein the low refractive index layer has a haze of less than 5%.

5. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein the low refractive index layer is directly laminated on the light guide plate.

6. 2. The optical member according to claim 1, wherein the stress relaxation layer has a storage modulus of 0.08 MPa to 0.20 MPa and a thickness of 5 μm to 20 μm.

7. An optical device comprising the optical member according to claim 1 .

8. The optical device according to claim 7 , which is selected from a device for AR glasses, a device for MR glasses, a device for VR glasses, a device for a lighting device, or a backlight unit for an image display device.

9. A method for producing an optical member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: forming a low refractive index layer on a first substrate to prepare a first laminate; providing a stress relaxation layer and a second substrate in this order on the low refractive index layer of the first laminate to produce an optical laminate; peeling the first substrate from the optical laminate; laminating the optical laminate from which the first substrate has been peeled off and a light guide plate so that the low refractive index layer and the light guide plate are adjacent to each other; A manufacturing method comprising:

10. The method for producing an optical member according to claim 9 , wherein the optical laminate from which the first substrate has been peeled is directly laminated on a light guide plate.

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