Ferro-electric azimuth rotator

An electrically controllable azimuth optical positive rotator comprising:

• a first quarterwave plate at approximately 45 degrees for receiving a first light beam having a first arbitrary polarization state, and outputting a second beam in response thereto;
• an electric voltage controlled ferro-electric variable phase retarder at approximately 0 degrees for receiving the second beam and providing a third beam in response thereto, the variable phase retarder characterized by a phase shift of 2α, where a is a desired angle of rotation of the first arbitrary polarization state, wherein the electric voltage controlled ferro-electric variable phase retarder comprises a 9.5/65/35 PLZT hot-pressed bulk ceramic having a width of about 1.44 mm;
• and
• a second quarterwave plate at approximately −45 degrees for receiving the third beam and outputting a fourth beam in response thereto, the fourth beam having a polarization state similar to the first arbitrary polarization state but rotated by α.

An electrically controllable azimuth optical negative rotator comprising:

• a first quarterwave plate at approximately −45 degrees for receiving a first beam of electromagnetic energy having a first arbitrary polarization state, and outputting a second beam in response thereto;
• an electric voltage controlled ferro-electric variable phase retarder at approximately 0 degrees for receiving the second beam and providing a third beam in response thereto, the variable phase retarder characterized by a phase shift of 2α, where −αis a desired angle of rotation of the first arbitrary polarization state, wherein the electric voltage controlled ferro-electric variable phase retarder comprises a 9.5/65/35 PLZT hot-pressed bulk ceramic having a width of about 1.44 mm;
• and
• a second quarterwave plate at approximately −45 degrees for receiving the third beam and outputting a fourth beam in response thereto, the fourth beam having a polarization state similar to the first arbitrary polarization state but rotated by α.

An electrically controllable azimuth optical positive rotator comprising:

• a first quarterwave plate at approximately −45 degrees for receiving a first beam of electromagnetic energy having a first arbitrary polarization state, and outputting a second beam in response thereto;
• an electric voltage controlled ferro-electric variable phase retarder at approximately 0 degrees for receiving the second beam and providing a third beam in response thereto, the variable phase waveplate retarder characterized by a phase shift of 2α, where −α is a desired angle of rotation of the first arbitrary polarization state, wherein the electric voltage controlled ferro-clectric variable phase retarder comprises a 9.5/65/35 PLZT hot-pressed bulk ceramic having a width of about 1.44 mm;
• and
• a second quarterwave plate at approximately −45 degrees for receiving the third beam and outputting a fourth beam in response thereto, the fourth beam having a polarization state similar to the first arbitrary polarization state but rotated by −α.