Optical circulator having a simplified construction
US5212586A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 26, 1991 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 26, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/06
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical circulator which includes a first birefringent plate for receiving an incident beam of light from a first port, a Faraday rotator, a polarization transforming device, and a second birefringent plate immediately adjacent a second port and the polarization transforming device. The optical circulator further includes means for diverting light traveling from the second port to a direction of travel which is at a right angle to the prior direction of travel, whereby the light is directed to a third port. The diverting means is immediately adjacent the first birefringent plate and the first port, and permits the clear passage of light from the first port to the first birefringent plate. The optical circulator has a simplified design while providing for the efficient transmission of polarized light.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.