Optical signal scrambling
AssigneeAlcatel
InventorsStephen Michael Webb, Ian Haxell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical signal scrambler (18) has an optical phase modulator (22) which has a common input/output for an optical signal. The modulator also has an input for a modulating signal and a common output/input which is coupled to a 45° Faraday mirror (24). The scrambler (18) operates to modify an optical input signal received at the input/output of the modulator (22) so that it is returned as an output which is phase scrambled.
Claims11
An optical signal scrambler comprising an optical phase modulator having a common input/output for an optical signal, an input for a modulating signal, and a common output/input coupled to a 45° Faraday mirror whereby, an optical signal input to the input/output of the modulator is returned as an output which is phase scrambled.
A method of phase scrambling of an optical signal including the steps of passing the signal in one direction through an optical phase modulator, modulating the phase of the signal during passage through the modulator to a Faraday reflector, reflecting the modulated signal back through the modulator for further phase modulation thereby to scramble the signal irrespective of its original polarisation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.