Method and system for providing a simplified in-line optical circulator
US6782145B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/093
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for providing an optical circulator is disclosed. The optical circulator includes a first port, a second port and a third port adjacent to the first port. The optical circulator also includes a first birefringent material, a first rotator pair, a polarization beam deflector, a second birefringent material, a second rotator pair and a third birefringent material. The first birefringent material is optically coupled to the first port and the third port and has a longitudinal axis, a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a first displacement direction. The polarization beam deflector changes the direction of the optical signal without introducing a walk-off in the optical signal. The first displacement direction is at a first oblique angle from the transverse direction. The third birefringent material has the longitudinal axis, the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a third displacement direction at a second oblique angle from the transverse direction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.