Apparatus and method for connecting polarization sensitive devices
US5561726A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 1995 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/07
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic apparatus for controlling the polarization state of light, for connecting polarization sensitive devices, and for providing a controlled variable attenuation in a fiber optic system. The center portion of a strand of optical fiber is placed in a rotatable fiber squeezer and is squeezed to produce a birefringent medium having a birefringent axis in the direction of squeezing pressure and the magnitude of the birefringence is controlled by the amount of pressure imposed by the fiber squeezer on the fiber center portion. Rotating the squeezer causes the birefringent axis to change and hence changes the polarization of light passing through the fiber strand. A desired polarization state is obtained by controlling the squeezing pressure and the rotation angle of the fiber squeezer. To use this apparatus to connect two polarization sensitive devices, simply place this apparatus between the two devices and adjust the pressure and orientation of the fiber squeezer until a desired polarization state for the receiving device is obtained. To use this apparatus to control the attenuation of light, simply connect a device having polarization dependent transmission to the output of…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.