Optical circulator
US5930039A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/31
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved optical circulator transfers light from a first optical port to a second optical port, and from the second port to a third port. The circulator has reciprocal and non-reciprocal polarization rotators, birefringent beam splitters and combiners, and a birefringent walk-off element as well as 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 port and a second light beam propagating to the third port. 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.