An optical element and manufacturing method of the present invention prevent
the
incidence of light on unnecessary portions of the optical element so that stray
light and noise are eliminated. The optical element is configured from at least
one substrate having a plurality of lens substrates that have embedded lenses made
of a material with a higher refractive index than the at least one substrate. A
shielding means limits the optical path so that incident light propagates only
within a prescribed optical path formed on a light incidence-side or emission-side
surface of one of the lens substrates. In addition, the shielding means is formed
from an absorptive or reflective film placed in a region outside the prescribed
optical path or through machining the region outside the prescribed optical path.
