Independent control of one of normally interdependent light transmission characteristics of optical fiber
US5903684A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 12, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 11, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 12, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/274
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling polarization, as one of a pair of erdependent light characteristics of an optical fiber, in response to a time dependent signal without the introduction of any significant variation in phase delay. A pair of transducers compress the optical fiber at spaced locations. When phase of energization of a first transducer in response to the time dependent signal is 180.degree. out-of-phase with the energization of the second transducer, the polarization shifts in response to the time dependent signal without any significant shift is phase delay. When the phases are in-phase, phase delay shifts in response to the time dependent signal without any significant shift in polarization. Multiple sets of transducers disposed along the optical fiber enable smooth variation of the controlled polarization or phase delay when a first transducer in each set is angularly displaced about the optical fiber by 45.degree. with respect to a first transducer in an adjacent set.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.