Method and device for controlling the polarization of a beam of light

A system for varying or maintaining the polarization state of an input beam of light for a given polarization state is provided, comprising:

• a block of electro-optic material having pairs of electrodes for applying voltages Vx and Vy in quadrature, a first pair of opposing electrodes disposed on opposing faces of the block for applying the voltage Vx and a second pair of opposing electrodes disposed on other opposing faces of the block for applying the voltage Vy across the block;
• the block having an input end for receiving the input beam of light;
• and,
• a controller for controlling voltages applied in quadrature to a first and a second pair of electrodes, the quadrature voltages having the form of V0sinθ and V0cosθ, the controller for varying the magnitude V0 and an angle θ such that the applied voltages are varied in such a manner as to orient an electric field within the elctro-optic material between pairs of electrodes through a plurality of angles from 0 to y radians and, the controller for varying the magnitude V0 of the applied voltages to yield a retardation 0 to x radians wherein one of x and y are equal to at least 2π radians and the other of x and y are equal to at least π radians.

A method of varying the polarization of an input beam of light comprising the steps of:

• a) providing two pairs of electrodes disposed about an electro-optic material a first of the two pairs being oriented across orthogonally with respect to a second of the two pairs;
• b) passing the input beam of light through the electro-optic material;
• and,
• c) providing a plurality of different quadrature voltage values, each voltage value having a magnitude component Vo and an angular component θ to each of the two pairs of electrodes wherein both the magnitude component Vo and angular component θ differ between some of the plurality of quadrature voltages provided.

A method of varying or maintaining the polarization of an input beam of light comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a first parallel pair of electrodes and a second parallel pair of electrodes, the first pair and the second pair of electrodes lying on substantially orthogonal faces of an electro-optic material
• b) passing the input beam of light through the electro-optic material;
• and,
• c) providing a plurality of different voltage values, each voltage value having a magnitude component and an angular component to each of the two pairs of electrodes wherein both the magnitude component and angular component differ between some of the plurality of quadrature voltages provided.