Negative dispersion retardation plate and achromatic circular polarizer

• US 8,895,118 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crysoptix Kk
• Original Assignee: Crysoptix Kk
• Inventors: Geivandov, Arthur, Lazarev, Pavel Ivan, Palto, Serguei
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, SHEAN CHIU
• Application Number:
  US13/290,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,115 Days
• Field of Search: 428/1.1, 428/1.3, 252/299.01, 252/299.61, 252/299.62, 252/299.5, 349/117, 349/118, 349/194, 359/352
• US Class Current: 428/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/02 characterised by optical, electrical or physical properties of the components, in general
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/348 containing at least two nitrogen atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3804 with mesogenic groups in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/54 Additives having no specific mesophase characterised by their chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2019/0496 the special bonding being a specific pi-conjugated group
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/03 Viewing layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of organic chemistry and particularly to the nematic lyotropic liquid crystal solution and negative dispersion retardation plate for application in 3D liquid crystal displays. The negative dispersion retardation plate comprises a substrate, and at least one optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component guest-host composition coated onto the substrate.

Claims

1. A nematic lyotropic liquid crystal solution comprising

a water or water-based solvent, and

a multi-component composition comprising

a rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule having absorption in ultraviolet and/or near infra-red wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range andformed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclicorganic molecules of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and formed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclicorganic molecules of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and

a supramolecule of a third type having absorption in ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelength ranges and formed via π

-π

-interaction by mix of partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first and second types.

2. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule comprises at least two building blocks connected to each other according to formula:

3. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule has the general structural formula I or its salt

4. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule is selected from structures 1 to 29:

5. A solution according to claim 3, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I further comprises additional side-groups connected with the organic unit Core of structural formula I independently selected from the group consisting of linear and branched (C₁-C₂₀) alkyl, (C₂-C₂₀) alkenyl, and (C₂-C₂₀) alkynyl.

6. A solution according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the additional side-groups is connected with the organic unit Core of structural formula I via a bridging group A selected from the group consisting of —

C(O)—

, —

C(O)O—

, —

C(O)—

NH—

, —

(SO₂)NH—

, —

O—

, —

CH₂O—

, —

NH—

, >

N—

, and any combination thereof.

7. A solution according to claim 3, wherein the salt of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali-metal salts.

8. A solution according to claim 3, wherein the rigid rod-like macromolecule has a polymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein the conjugated organic units are the same.

9. A solution according to claim 3, wherein the rigid rod-like macromolecule has a copolymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein at least one conjugated organic unit is different from the others.

10. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula II

11. A solution according to claim 10, wherein the at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₁ is selected from the structures of general formulas 30 to 44:

12. A solution according to claim 10, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula II is selected from structures 45 to 53:

13. A solution according to claim 10, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula II further comprises at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of —

CH₃, —

C₂H₅, —

Cl, —

Br, —

NO₂, —

F, —

CF₃, —

CN, —

OH, —

OCH₃, —

OC₂H₅, —

OCOCH₃, —

OCN, —

SCN, and —

NHCOCH₃.

14. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula III

15. A solution according to claim 14, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula III is selected from the structures of general formulas 54 to 55:

16. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula IV

17. A solution according to claim 16, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula IV has at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₃ selected from the structures of general formulas 56 to 69:

18. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula V

19. A solution according to claim 18, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula V is selected from the structures of general formulas 70 to 76:

20. A solution according to claim 1, wherein the water-based solvent is selected from the group consisting of alkalis and acids or any combination thereof.

21. A negative dispersion retardation plate comprising:

a substrate, and

at least one optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component composition on the substrate, comprising

a rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule having absorption in ultraviolet and/or near infra-red wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range and formed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and formed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and

a supramolecule of a third type having absorption in ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelength ranges and formed via π

-π

-interaction by mix of partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first and second types,

wherein the negative dispersion retardation plate is substantially transparent for electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range and provides an essentially fixed optical phase delay in the range from 0 to 2π

over the whole visible spectral range.

22. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the fixed optical phase delay is equal to π

/2.

23. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the fixed optical phasedelay is equal to 3π

/2.

24. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule comprises at least two building blocks connected to each other according to formula:

25. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule has the general structural formula I or its salt

26. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule is selected from structures 1 to 29:

27. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 25, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I further comprises additional side-groups connected with the Core organic unit of structural formula I independently selected from the group consisting of linear and branched (C₁-C₂₀) alkyl, (C₂-C₂₀) alkenyl, and (C₂-C₂₀) alkynyl.

28. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 27, wherein at least one of the additional side-groups is connected with the Core organic unit of structural formula I via a bridging group A selected from the group consisting of —

C(O)—

, —

C(O)O—

, —

C(O)—

NH—

, —

(SO₂)NH—

, —

O—

, —

CH₂O—

, —

NH—

, >

N—

, and any combination thereof.

29. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 25, wherein the salt of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali-metal salts.

30. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 25, wherein the rigid rod-like macromolecule has a polymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein the conjugated organic units are the same.

31. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 25, wherein the rigid rod-like macromolecule has a copolymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein at least one conjugated organic unit is different from the others.

32. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula II

33. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 32, wherein the at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₁ is selected from the structures of general formulas 30 to 44:

34. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 33, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula II is selected from structures 45 to 53:

35. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 32, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula II further comprises at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of —

CH₃, —

C₂H₅, —

Cl, —

Br, —

NO₂, —

F, —

CF₃, —

CN, —

OH, —

OCH₃,—

OC₂H₅, —

OCOCH₃, —

OCN, —

SCN, and —

NHCOCH₃.

36. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula III

37. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 36, wherein the organic molecule having a general structural formula III is selected from the structures of general formulas 54 to 55:

38. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula IV

39. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 38, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula IV has at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₃ selected from the structures of general formulas 56 to 69:

40. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula V

41. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 40, wherein the organic molecule having a general structural formula V is selected from the structures of general formulas 70 to 76:

42. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein longitudinal axes of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules coincide with longitudinal axes of said supramolecules, and at least part of the supramolecules possess anisotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules and said supramolecules form a retardation layer of B_A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, which satisfy the following conditions:

n_x<

n_z<

n_y and ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n=n_y−

n_x.

43. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein longitudinal axes of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules coincide with longitudinal axes of said supramolecules, and the supramolecules possess isotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules and said supramolecules form a retardation layer of negative A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, which satisfy the following conditions:

n_x<

n_y=n_z and ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n=n_y−

n_x.

44. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, further comprising additional layer based on lyotropic liquid crystal and characterized by thickness d_add and two principal refractive indices (n_x,addb and n_y,add) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of said layer and one principal refractive index (n_z,add) in the normal direction to said layer, wherein the optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component guest-host composition is characterized by thickness d, two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

|∂

Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

|<

|∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

|, ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

<

0 and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n_add=n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add}, Δ

n=n_x−

n_y and R=(n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add})·

d_add+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

45. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, further comprising additional layer based on lyotropic liquid crystal and characterized by thickness d_add and two principal refractive indices (n_x,addb and n_y,add) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of said layer and one principal refractive index (n_z,add) in the normal direction to said layer, wherein the optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component guest-host composition is characterized by thickness d, two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

|∂

Δ

n (λ

)/∂

λ

|<

|∂

Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

|, Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

<

0, and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n_add=n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add}, Δ

n=n_x−

n_y and R=(n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add})·

d_add+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

46. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is made of glass.

47. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is a plate of positive A-type characterized by thickness d_sub and two principal refractive indices (n_x,sub and n_y,sub) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the substrate and one principal refractive index (n_z,sub) in the normal direction to the substrate and the supramolecules possess anisotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein said supramolecules form a retardation layer of biaxial B_A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by thickness d and two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

n_x,sub>

n_y,sub=n_z,sub, n_x<

n_z<

n_y and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where R=(n_x,sub−

n_y,sub)·

d_sub+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

48. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is a plate of positive A-type characterized by thickness d_sub and two principal refractive indices (n_x,sub and n_y,sub) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the substrate and one principal refractive index (n_z,sub) in the normal direction to the substrate and the supramolecules possess isotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein said supramolecules form a retardation layer of negative A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by thickness d and two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

n_x,sub>

n_y,sub=n_z,sub, n_x<

n_y=n_z and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where R=(n_x,sub−

n_y,sub)·

d_sub+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

49. A negative dispersion retardation plate according to any of claims 47 or 48, wherein the substrate material is selected from the group consisting of poly ethylene terephtalate (PET), poly ethylene naphtalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), oriented poly propylene (OPP), poly ethylene (PE), polyimide (PI), and poly ester.

50. An achromatic circular polarizer comprising

a linear polarizer and

a negative dispersion retardation plate comprising:

a substrate, and

at least one optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component composition on the substrate, comprising

a rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule having absorption in ultraviolet and/or near infra-red wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range and formed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of a first type having absorption in ultraviolet wavelength range,

a supramolecule of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and formed via π

-π

-interaction by partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of a second type having absorption in near-infrared wavelength range and

supramolecule of a third type having absorption in ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelength ranges and formed via π

-π

-interaction by mix of partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first and second types, and

wherein the negative dispersion retardation plate is substantially transparent for electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range and provides an essentially fixed optical phase delay in the range from 0 to 2π

over the whole visible spectral range.

51. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the fixed optical phase delay is equal to π

/2.

52. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the fixed optical phase delay is equal to 3π

/2.

53. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule comprises at least two building blocks connected to each other according to formula:

54. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule has the general structural formula I or its salt

55. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule is selected from structures 1 to 29:

56. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 54, wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I further comprises additional side-groups connected with the Core organic unit structural formula I independently selected from the group consisting of linear and branched (C₁-C₂₀) alkyl, (C₂-C₂₀) alkenyl, and (C₂-C₂₀) alkynyl.

57. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 56, wherein at least one of the additionial side groups is connected with the Core organic unit of structural formula I via a bridging group A selected from the group consisting of —

C(O)—

, —

C(O)O—

, —

C(O)—

NH—

, —

(SO₂)NH—

, —

O—

, —

CH₂O—

, —

NH—

, >

N—

, and any combination thereof.

58. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 54, wherein the salt of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecule of the general structural formula I is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali-metal salts.

59. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 54, wherein the rod-like macromolecule has a polymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein the conjugated organic units are the same.

60. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 54, wherein the rigid rod-like macromolecule has a copolymeric main rigid-chain, and wherein at least one conjugated organic unit is different from the others.

61. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula II

62. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 61, wherein the at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₁ is selected from the structures of general formulas 30 to 44:

63. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 62, wherein the organic molecule having a general structural formula II is selected from structures 45 to 53:

64. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 61, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula II further comprises at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of —

CH₃, —

C₂H₅, —

Cl, —

Br, —

NO₂, —

F, —

CF₃, —

CN, —

OH, —

OCH₃, —

OC₂H₅, —

OCOCH₃, —

OCN, —

SCN, and —

NHCOCH₃.

65. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula III

66. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 65, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula III is selected from the structures of general formulas 54 to 55:

67. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the first type have a general structural formula IV

68. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 67, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula IV has at least partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic molecular system Sys₃ selected from the structures of general formulas 56 to 69:

69. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the partially conjugated substantially planar polycyclic organic molecules of the second type have a general structural formula V

70. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 69, wherein the organic molecules having a general structural formula V is selected from the structures of general formulas 70 to 76:

71. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein longitudinal axes of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules coincide with longitudinal axes of said supramolecules, and at least part of the supramolecules possess anisotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules and said supramolecules form a retardation layer of B_A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, which satisfy the following conditions:

n_x<

n_z<

n_y and ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n=n_y−

n_x.

72. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein longitudinal axes of the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules coincide with longitudinal axes of said supramolecules, and the supramolecules possess isotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein the rigid rod-like polymer macromolecules and said supramolecules form a retardation layer of negative A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, which satisfy the following conditions:

n_x<

n_y=n_z and ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n=n_y−

n_x.

73. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, further comprising additional layer based on lyotropic liquid crystal and characterized by thickness d_add and two principal refractive indices (n_x,addb and n_y,add) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of said layer and one principal refractive index (n_z,add) in the normal direction to said layer, wherein the optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component guest-host composition is characterized by thickness d, two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

|∂

Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

|<

|∂

Δ

n (λ

)/∂

λ

|, ∂

Δ

n(λ

)/∂

λ

<

0 and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n_add=n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add}, Δ

n=n_x−

n_y and R=(n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add})·

d_add+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

74. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, further comprising additional layer based on lyotropic liquid crystal and characterized by thickness d_add and two principal refractive indices (n_x,addb and n_y,add) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of said layer and one principal refractive index (n_z,add) in the normal direction to said layer, wherein the optically anisotropic retardation layer comprising a multi-component guest-host composition is characterized by thickness d, two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer, and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

|∂

Δ

n(λ

)/_∂

λ

|<

|∂

Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

|, Δ

n_add(λ

)/∂

λ

<

0 and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where Δ

n_add=n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add}, Δ

n=n_x−

n_y and R=(n_{x, add}−

n_{y, add})·

d_add+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

75. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the substrate is made of glass.

76. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the substrate is a plate of positive A-type characterized by thickness d_sub and two principal refractive indices (n_x,sub and n_y,sub) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the substrate and one principal refractive index (n_z,sub) in the normal direction to the substrate and the supramolecules possess anisotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein said supramolecules form a retardation layer of biaxial B_A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by thickness d and two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

n_x,sub>

n_y,sub=n_z,sub, n_x<

n_z<

n_y and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where R=(n_x,sub−

n_y,sub)·

d_sub+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

77. An achromatic circular polarizer according to claim 50, wherein the substrate is a plate of positive A-type characterized by thickness d_sub and two principal refractive indices (n_x,sub and n_y,sub) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the substrate and one principal refractive index (n_z,sub) in the normal direction to the substrate and the supramolecules possess isotropic polarizability in a plane which is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and wherein said supramolecules form a retardation layer of negative A-type coated onto the substrate and characterized by thickness d and two principal refractive indices (n_x and n_y) corresponding to two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the retardation layer and one principal refractive index (n_z) in the normal direction to the retardation layer and wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

n_x,sub>

n_y,sub=n_z,sub, n_x<

n_y=n_z and ∂

R(λ

)/∂

λ

>

0 over the whole visible spectral range, where R=(n_x,sub−

n_y,sub)·

d_sub+(n_x−

n_y)·

d.

78. An achromatic circular polarizer according to any of claims 76 or 77, wherein the substrate material is selected from the group consisting of poly ethylene terephtalate (PET), poly ethylene naphtalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), oriented poly propylene (OPP), poly ethylene (PE), polyimide (PI), and poly ester.