Wire grid polarizer and method for producing same

Abstract

There are provided a thin wire grid polarizer having a high transmittance, a high quenching ratio and a high degree of polarization, and a method for producing the same at low costs. A fluoridated polyimide thin film 12 , a hydrophilic thin film 13 and a hydrophobic thin film 14 are sequentially stacked on a glass substrate 11 to be pressed by a die 1 from the side of the hydrophobic thin film 14 to transfer the fine pattern of groove forming protrusions 3 of the die 1 to the hydrophobic thin film 14 and hydrophilic thin film 13 by the nano-imprinted lithography technique, and then, metal fine wires are caused to grow by plating.

1 .- 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A method for producing a wire grid polarizer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 forming a metal film layer on a substrate;    forming a hydrophobic thin film layer of a hydrophobic resin on said metal film;    preparing a die having a plurality of protrusions which extend in parallel to each other and which are spaced from each other at fine intervals;    pressing said plurality of protrusions of said die on said hydrophobic thin film layer until said plurality of protrusions of said die reach said metal film layer, to form a plurality of metal fine wire forming grooves in said hydrophobic thin film layer so that said metal film layer is exposed at the bottom of each of said plurality of metal fine wire forming grooves;    forming each of a plurality of metal fine wires in a corresponding one of said plurality of metal fine wire forming grooves by a plating method;    removing portions of said metal film layer, on which said plurality of metal fine wires are not formed; and    coating said plurality of metal fine wires, the remaining portions of said metal film layer and said substrate with a protective film.