Near infrared cutoff filter

1. A near infrared cutoff filter, comprising a substrate to transmit at least light in the visible wavelength region and, on at least one side of the substrate, an infrared reflective layer constituted by a layered film comprising a high refractive index film H and a low refractive index film L repeatedly laminated, wherein the near infrared cutoff filter has light transmittance characteristics such that when the decrease rates in average transmittance in region R, region G and region B are calculated by the following formulae (1) to (3), respectively, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value among them is at most 0.04:

( T ( R 0)− T ( R 40))/ T ( R 0)  (1)

( T ( G 0)− T ( G 40))/ T ( G 0)  (2)

( T ( B 0)− T ( B 40))/ T ( B 0)  (3)

wherein

the wavelength band of from 600 to 620 nm is designated as region R, the wavelength band of from 500 to 560 nm is designated as region G, and the wavelength band of from 440 to 480 nm is designated as region B,

the respective average transmittances in regions R, G and B under vertical incidence condition are designated as T(R0), T(G0) and T(B0), respectively, and

the respective average transmittances in regions R, G and B under 40° incidence condition are designated as T(R40), T(G40) and T(B40), respectively.

2. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmittance characteristics of the near infrared cutoff filter are such that each of the decrease rates calculated by the formulae (1) to (3) is at most 0.05.

3. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material to absorb near infrared rays.

4. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the infrared reflective layer is at most 50 layers.

5. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmittance characteristics of the near infrared cutoff filter are such that each of the minimum values of light transmittances in the wavelength bands in regions G and B under 40° incidence condition is at least 85%.

6. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmittance characteristics of the near infrared cutoff filter are such that the light transmittance at a wavelength of 1,200 nm under 40° incidence condition is at most 10%.

7. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein

the infrared reflective layer comprises a plurality of layered films represented by (HL) ^n , wherein H is a high refractive index film, L is a low refractive index film, n is a natural number of at least 2, and ^n means a structure wherein (HL) is repeated n times, and

the light transmittance characteristics of the plurality of layered films are such that the maximum value of the light transmittance in the wavelength band of from 950 to 1,150 nm under vertical incidence condition is at most 10%.

8. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises fluorophosphates glass or phosphate glass.

9. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein

the high refractive index film comprises, as a constituent material, at least one member selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 and composite oxides thereof,

the intermediate refractive index film comprises, as a constituent material, at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 and composite oxides thereof, and

the low refractive index film comprises, as a constituent material, at least one member selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgF 2 and composite oxides thereof.

10. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , wherein

the high refractive index film comprises, as a constituent material, at least one member selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 and composite oxides thereof, and

the low refractive index film comprises, as a constituent material, at least one member selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgF 2 and composite oxides thereof.

11. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 1 , which comprises the infrared reflective layer on the front side of the substrate, and an antireflection film or the infrared reflective layer on the rear side of the substrate.

12. A near infrared cutoff filter, comprising a substrate to transmit at least light in the visible wavelength region and, on at least one side of the substrate, an infrared reflective layer constituted by:

a layered film comprising a high refractive index film H and a low refractive index film L repeatedly laminated,

wherein the low refractive index film L comprises a constituent material having a refractive index at a wavelength of 500 nm smaller than a constituent material for the high refractive index film H; or

a layered film comprising a high refractive index film H, an intermediate refractive index film M and a low refractive index film L′ repeatedly laminated,

wherein the intermediate refractive index film M comprises a constituent material having a refractive index at a wavelength of 500 nm smaller than a constituent material for the high refractive index film H, and the low refractive index film L′ comprises a constituent material having a refractive index at a wavelength of 500 nm smaller than a constituent material for the intermediate refractive index film M;

wherein the near infrared cutoff filter has light transmittance characteristics such that each of the decrease rates in average transmittance in region G and region B calculated by the following formulae (4) and (5), respectively, is at most 0.09:

( T ( G 0)− T ( G 45))/ T ( G 0)  (4)

( T ( B 0)− T ( B 45))/ T ( B 0)  (5)

wherein

the wavelength band of from 500 to 560 nm is designated as region G, and the wavelength band of from 440 to 480 nm is designated as region B,

the respective average transmittances in regions G and B under vertical incidence condition are designated as T(G0) and T(B0), respectively, and

the respective average transmittances in regions G and B under 45° incidence condition are designated as T(G45) and T(B45), respectively.

13. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises a material to absorb near infrared rays.

14. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 12 , wherein the infrared reflective layer is at most 50 layers.

15. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 12 , wherein the light transmittance characteristics of the near infrared cutoff filter are such that each of the minimum values of light transmittances in the wavelength bands in regions G and B under 40° incidence condition is at least 85%.

16. The near infrared cutoff filter according to claim 12 , wherein the light transmittance characteristics of the near infrared cutoff filter are such that the light transmittance at a wavelength of 1,200 nm under 40° incidence condition is at most 10%.

17. A near infrared cutoff filter, comprising a substrate to transmit at least light in the visible wavelength region and, on at least one side of the substrate, an infrared reflective layer constituted by a layered film comprising a high refractive index film H and a low refractive index film L repeatedly laminated, and which has light transmittance characteristics such that each of the decrease rates in average transmittance in region G and region B calculated by the following formulae (4) and (5), respectively, is at most 0.09:

( T ( G 0)− T ( G 45))/ T ( G 0)  (4)

( T ( B 0)− T ( B 45))/ T ( B 0)  (5)

wherein

the wavelength band of from 500 to 560 nm is designated as region G, and the wavelength band of from 440 to 480 nm is designated as region B,

the respective average transmittances in regions G and B under vertical incidence condition are designated as T(G0) and T(B0), respectively, and

the respective average transmittances in regions G and B under 45° incidence condition are designated as T(G45) and T(B45), respectively.