An optical device (44) is provided with an optical modulator (440), a color
combining optical device (444) and an optical converting element (443),
the optical modulator (440) being attached to the color combining optical
device (444) through a position-adjusting spacer (449) made of a
heat-insulative material, so that heat generated on the optical modulator
(440) and the optical converting element (443) is mutually insulated by
the spacer (449) made of heat-insulative material and does not conduct
from high-temperature side to low-temperature side between the optical
modulator (440) and the optical converting element (443), thus improving
cooling efficiency of the optical modulator (440) to enable size reduction
and high luminance of the optical device (44) and a projector.
