Dual-stage optical isolator minimized polarization mode dispersion and simplified fabrication process
AssigneeFinisar Corporation
InventorsYonglin Huang, Liren Du, Meng Ma, Shuyun Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical isolator includes a first stage configured to refract a light ray applied in a forward direction into a first ray and a second ray. A second stage rotated 90° with respect to the first is configured to refract said first and second rays in a substantially parallel manner. The isolator is configured such that the first ray comprises an e-ray with respect to the first stage and an o-ray with respect to the second stage, and the second ray comprises an o-ray with respect to the first stage and an e-ray with respect to the second stage, thereby substantially reducing the effects of polarization mode dispersion.
Claims15
An optical isolator comprising:
- a first stage configured to refract a light ray applied in a forward direction into a first ray and a second ray, the first stage having a first core including a first birefringent wedge with a first optic axis, and the first core also including a second birefringent wedge with a second optic axis that is different from the first optic axis;
- and
- a second stage mechanically rotated about 90° with respect to said first stage and configured to refract said first and second rays in a substantially parallel manner, the second stage having a second core including a third birefringent wedge with a third optic axis that is rotated about 45° with respect to the optic axis of the first birefringent wedge, and the second core also including a fourth birefringent wedge with a fourth axis that is rotated about 45° with respect to the optic axis of the second birefringent wedge.
An optical isolator comprising:
- first means for refracting a light ray applied in a forward direction into a first ray and a second ray, wherein the first means includes a first birefringent wedge and a second birefringent wedge, the first birefringent wedge having a first optic axis that is different from a second optic axis of the second birefringent wedge;
- and
- second means, mechanically rotated about 90° with respect to said first means, for refracting said first and second rays in a substantially parallel manner, wherein the second means includes a third birefringent wedge having a third optic axis that is rotated about 45° with respect to the first optic axis and a fourth birefringent wedge having a fourth optic axis that is rotated about 45° with respect to the second optic axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.