Patent · US Expired

Simplified polarization independent optical sampling using a spatially split waveplate

US6744508B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
5References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 24, 2001
Grant dateJun 1, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 21, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J11/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sampling optical input signal is presented. The apparatus includes a split waveplate for spatially rotating polarization direction of a first portion (for example half, or 50 percent) of the input signal to a first rotated direction and spatially rotating polarization direction of a second portion (for example the other 50 percent) of the input signal to a second rotated direction orthogonal to the first rotated direction. The apparatus further includes a sum frequency generator, for example a PPLN crystal, aligned to the first rotated direction to sample the input signal. The rotation of the two halves of the input signal is achieved using a split half-waveplate.

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