Patent · US Expired

Optical isolator

US5408491A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
2References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 1994
Grant dateApr 18, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S372/703
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical isolator comprising first through fourth plate-like birefringent substances. Each plate-like birefringent substance receives and transmits incident light, and has a corresponding optical axis which is inclined with respect to a direction of the incident light. The optical isolator also has first and second magneto-optical materials, each for rotating a plane of polarization of the incident light. The optical axis of the second plate-like birefringent substance is rotated by one of -45.degree. and 135.degree. about a first axis which is perpendicular to a surface of the first plate-like birefringent substance. The optical axis of the third plate-like birefringent substance is rotated by one of 45.degree. and 225.degree. about a second axis which is perpendicular to the surface of the first plate-like birefringent substance. The optical axis of the fourth plate-like birefringent substance is rotated by one of -90.degree. and 90.degree. about a third axis which is perpendicular to the surface of the first plate-like birefringent substance. The first and third plate-like birefringent substance have equal thicknesses. The second and fourth plate-like birefringent substances a…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.