Wave plate, method for manufacturing wave plate, and optical apparatus

Abstract

A wave plate 1 according to an embodiment includes a first birefringent substrate 10 including a first main surface and an optical axis 13 in a first direction; a second birefringent substrate 20 disposed over the first birefringent substrate 10 and including a second main surface and an optical axis 23 in a second direction; and a third birefringent substrate 30 disposed over the second birefringent substrate 20 and including a third main surface and an optical axis 33 in a third direction. The first birefringent substrate 10 and the second birefringent substrate 20 are made of the same kind of birefringent material. The first main surface, the second main surface, and the third main surface are disposed in parallel to one another. The first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first main surface and the second main surface.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A wave plate comprising:
 a first birefringent substrate including a first main surface and an optical axis in a first direction; and   a second birefringent substrate disposed over the first birefringent substrate and including a second main surface and an optical axis in a second direction, wherein   the first main surface and the second main surface are disposed parallel to each other,   the first direction is parallel to the first main surface, and   the second direction is orthogonal to the second main surface and also is orthogonal to the first direction.   
     
     
         3 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The wave plate according to  claim 2 , wherein
 incident light entering the first main surface and is linearly polarized in one direction parallel to the first main surface is emitted from the second birefringent substrate as linearly polarized light in the one direction parallel to the first main surface and orthogonal to the one direction.   
     
     
         13 . The wave plate according to  claim 2 , wherein
 incident light entering the second main surface and linearly polarized in one direction parallel to the second main surface is emitted from the first birefringent substrate as circularly polarized light.   
     
     
         14 - 20 . (canceled)