Double-pass polarization-independent signal processor and on-axis processing method
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorGregory S. Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a polarization beam splitter, at least two reflectors and first and second polarization rotation devices. The polarization beam splitter and the at least two reflectors are arranged in a loop that is capable of propagating a clockwise signal component and a counterclockwise signal component. The first polarization rotation device is located in the loop between the polarization beam splitter and a first reflector of the at least two reflectors. The second polarization rotation device is located in the loop between the polarization beam splitter and an additional reflector of the at least two reflectors. The first polarization rotation device includes a serial arrangement of a reciprocal rotator and a nonreciprocal rotator.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising a polarization beam splitter, at least two reflectors and first and second polarization rotation devices, wherein:
- the polarization beam splitter and the at least two reflectors are arranged in a loop that is capable of propagating a clockwise signal component and a counterclockwise signal component;
- the first polarization rotation device is located in the loop between the polarization beam splitter and a first reflector of the at least two reflectors;
- the second polarization rotation device is located in the loop between the polarization beam splitter and an additional reflector of the at least two reflectors;
- and
- the first polarization rotation device includes a serial arrangement comprising a reciprocal rotator and a nonreciprocal rotator.
A method comprising:
- splitting a source signal into a vertically-polarized component and a horizontally-polarized component;
- propagating the horizontally-polarized component through a first polarization rotation device to obtain a vertically-polarized version of the horizontally-polarized component;
- propagating the vertically-polarized version though a region and then through a second polarization rotation device to obtain a horizontally-polarized version of the vertically-polarized version;
- propagating the vertically-polarized component through the second polarization rotation device to obtain a first still vertically-polarized version;
- and
- propagating the first still vertically-polarized version through the region and then through the first polarization rotation device to obtain a second still vertically-polarized version.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.