Broadband polarization switching

US8830581B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CORNING INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• Paul G. Dewa · Newark, US
• Michael Morgan Dunn · Palmyra, US
• Stephen Karl Mack · Rush, US
• Brian Monroe McMaster · Pittsford, US
• Robert Louis Michaels · Rochester, US
• Paul Francis Michaloski · Rochester, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 2, 2012
• Grant date: Sep 9, 2014
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B27/283
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A polarization switching apparatus has a first birefringent polarizer formed as a composite prism and disposed to direct incident light of a first polarization along a first optical path and light of a second polarization along a second optical path, wherein the second optical path is oblique to the first optical path. A beam redirector is disposed to redirect the first optical path from the first birefringent polarizer toward an input face of a second birefringent polarizer; wherein the second birefringent polarizer is also formed as a composite prism and is disposed to combine incident light of the first and second polarizations onto a common output path. A shutter apparatus is actuable to selectively block light of the first polarization or light of the second polarization from the input face of the second birefringent polarizer.