Patent ID: 8077373

Claim:
A composite optical element comprising: (a) at least one photochromic linear polarizing element comprising: (i) an at least partially ordered polymeric sheet; and (ii) a reversible organic photochromic-dichroic compound that is imbibed onto and at least partially aligned with the polymeric sheet and has an average absorption ratio of at least 1.5 in the activated state, said photochromic-dichroic compound having a first state having a first absorption state and a second state having a second absorption state different from the first absorption state, and being operable to transition from the first absorption state to the second absorption state in response to at least actinic radiation, and to linearly polarize transmitted radiation in at least the second state; and (b) at least one birefringent layer comprising a polymeric coating or polymeric sheet connected to the photochromic linear polarizing element (a), wherein the composite optical element is operable to circularly or elliptically polarize transmitted radiation.