Optical circulator
US5909310A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 1, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/31
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved optical circulator device transfers light from a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber, and from the second fiber to a third optical fiber. The device comprises reciprocal and non-reciprocal polarization rotators, birefringent beam splitters and combiners, and a birefringent walk-off element. The invention also contains a polarization-dependent light bending device comprising two tapered birefringent plates. The light bending device compensates for an angle between a first light beam emanating from the first fiber and a second light beam exiting through the third fiber. The existence of this angle allows the first and third fibers to be coupled to the light beams using a single lens.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.