Display apparatus comprises three polarizers and a polarization control element whose orientation of a transmission axis changes according to a control signal

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel having a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix, the plurality of pixels being driven on a basic of an image signal;

a first polarizer on one of faces of the display panel;

a second polarizer on the other face of the display panel;

a surface emitting light source illuminating the display panel from a side of the first polarizer;

a third polarizer between the first polarizer and the surface emitting light source;

a polarization control element between the first polarizer and the third polarizer and whose orientation of a transmission axis changes according to a control signal; and

a control section outputting a control signal that controls orientation of the transmission axis of the polarization control element so that a polarization axis of transmission light of the polarization control element is oriented in a direction crossing the transmission axis of the first polarizer in a part corresponding to a pixel position of black display and is oriented in a direction parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer in a part corresponding to a pixel position of white display.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission axis of the first polarizer is parallel to the transmission axis of the third polarizer, and

the polarization control element is configured so that when the control signal is not applied, the polarization axis of the transmission light of the polarization control element is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer and, when the control signal is applied, the polarization axis of the transmission light of the polarization control element crosses the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission axis of the first polarizer crosses the transmission axis of the third polarizer, and

the polarization control element is configured so that when the control signal is not applied, the polarization axis of the transmission light of the polarization control element crosses the transmission axis of the first polarizer and, when the control signal is applied, the polarization axis of the transmission light of the polarization control element is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the third polarizer is a reflection-type polarization element.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first polarizer is a reflection-type polarization element.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a reflection-type polarization element between the first polarizer and the polarization control element.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission axis of the reflection-type polarization element is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the polarization control element comprises:

a pair of transparent substrates disposed apart from each other so as to face each other;

a pair of transparent electrodes provided for facing surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates; and

a liquid crystal layer in a gap between the pair of transparent substrates.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the pair of transparent electrodes has a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed in a matrix at a pitch wider than a pixel pitch of the display panel.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface emitting light source is of an edge light type.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface emitting light source is of a direct backlight type.