Patent · US Expired

Polarization-independent optical isolator

US5848203A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
2References
19Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateFeb 4, 1997
Grant dateDec 8, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 4, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/093
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical isolator for preventing reflection-returned light from entering back into the emitter of an optical system such as an optical fiber communication or an optical disc input/output device, using semiconductor laser. The polarization-independent optical isolator includes a light-emitting side optical fiber having a diameter of a core expanded to give a mode field diameter at an end face of 20 to 50 .mu.m, a light-incident side optical fiber having a diameter of a core expanded to give a mode field diameter at an end face of 20 to 50 .mu.m, and an optical isolator element provided between the light-emitting side optical fiber and the light-incident side optical fiber, said optical isolator element comprising a first polarization beam splitter located at a side of the light-emitting side optical fiber, a second polarization beam splitter located at a side of the light-incident side optical fiber, and a Farady rotator provided between the first polarization beam splitter and the second polarization beam splitter, and at least said first polarization beam splitter being a wedge type polarization beam splitter.

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