To provide a light modulation element holder that makes it possible to efficiently cool a light modulation element with a cooling fluid, and to provide an optical device and a projector.
The light modulation element holder 4402 includes: a pair of frame-like members 4405 and 4406 for holding a liquid crystal panel 441 between them; and light transmissive substrates 442A and 443A disposed on the external surfaces of the pair of frame-like members 4405 and 4406, respectively. A cooling chamber in which the cooling fluid can be sealed is formed in each of the pair of the frame-like members 4405 and 4406. A diverging port and a converging port so connected as to communicate with the respective cooling chambers are formed in the pair of frame-like members 4405 and 4406 in such places that the length of a passage for the cooling fluid flowing from an inlet 4405I to an outlet 4406I via the diverging port and the length of a passage for the cooling fluid from the inlet 4405I to the outlet 4406I via the converging port are almost the same.
MURATA MASAMI
Kanji Nakayama
Tsuyoshi Ishizaki