Continuously variable attenuation of an optical signal using an optical isolator
US7050694B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 2003 |
| Grant date | May 23, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/266
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Method and apparatus of attenuating an optical signal without adding extra components is presented. The drive current of the optical signal source is set to meet a predetermined bandwidth requirement and exceed a predetermined amplitude requirement. An optical isolator that is used to prevent back-reflections from reaching the optical signal source is used to achieve the desired amount of attenuation. More specifically, the invention includes controlling the attenuation by tuning an angle θ between the transmission axis of a polarizer that is part of the optical isolator and the original polarization state of the optical signal. By increasing the angle θ, the amount of attenuation is increased; by decreasing the angle θ, the amount of attenuation is decreased. The invention allows continuous tuning of the angle θ.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.