Arrangement for polarization control, such as for an optical heterodyne or homodyne receiver

US4856094A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Helmut Heidrich · Berlin, DE
• Detlef Hoffmann · Burns Lake, CA
• Hans-Peter Nolting · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 11, 1987
• Grant date: Aug 8, 1989
• Expiry date: Sep 11, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/64
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An arrangement for polarization control for an optical heterodyne or homodyne receiver wherein the state of polarization of the optical signal of the local oscillator of a heterodyne or homodyne receiver and the optical signal supplied to the receiver can be transformed so that both signals can be adjusted to the same identical state of polarization. A phase modulator PM1 and a following polarization converter PK1 are arranged onto an optical waveguide WL1 which receives at an input e.sub.1 an optical wave from a subscriber and another polarization converter PK2 and a following phase modulator PM2 are arranged onto another optical waveguide WL2 which has an input e.sub.2 for coupling in the local oscillator signal. The arrangement can be controlled such that the signals fed in have the same state of polarization at the output for superposition and IF generation.