The disclosed is a light guide unit and a surface illuminator illuminating
a liquid crystal display (LCD). The light guide unit (100) is composed of
a surface lighting light guide (30) having a light emitting major surface
(30a) and a light receiving side surface (30c); a channel light guide
(20) having optical cores (21) to form a fiber optic channel array having
light entrance core surfaces (21a) and light exit core surfaces (21b);
and a distribution light guide (10) having a light distribution guide
surface (10d) and a light receiving portion (10b) receiving light from
the LED (200). The light guides (10, 20 and 30) are positioned
respectively in that order to form a light guide unit (100). Each width
(w1) and/or a pitch (p) of the optical cores (21) may change in
accordance with a distance from the light receiving portion (10b). The
channel light guide (20)/the distribution light guide (10) may have a
linear shape or a nonlinear shape with "L", "U" or "O" shape. The
distribution light guide (10) may have a "V" shaped or rectangular
reflector (40) with opposed surfaces (40a, 40b) to reflect light (L) from
the LED (200) to face the reflector (40).