Fiber optic interferometer based switch
US6427036B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3578
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic switch based on a Mach-Zender type interferometer comprises first and second input optical fibers, first and second intermediate optical fiber segments, and first and second output optical fibers. The switch selectively couples the first and second input fibers either to the first and second output fibers, respectively, or to the second and first output fibers, respectively. To operate the switch, an optical path length of the first intermediate fiber segment is changed, and an optical path length of the second intermediate fiber segment is altered by an equal and opposite amount. Heat is therefore deposited equally in each of the intermediate fiber segments. The intermediate fiber segments lie substantially in a plane, thereby ensuring that the polarization of light traveling through the first intermediate fiber segment does not rotate significantly relative to the polarization of light traveling through the second intermediate fiber segment.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.