Patent ID: 11929783
Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
Field: Telecommunications (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 15:
16. The method of claim 15, wherein:
different ones of the outgoing optical signals have P and S polarizations;
the polarization beam splitter/combiner combines the outgoing optical signals into the combined outgoing optical signal having P and S polarizations;
the optical element comprises a quarter waveplate that converts P and S polarizations of the combined outgoing optical signal into left-handed circular polarization and right-handed circular polarization of the output signal;
the quarter waveplate converts left-handed circular polarization and right-handed circular polarization of the input signal into P and S polarizations of the combined incoming optical signal; and
the polarization beam splitter/combiner splits the combined incoming optical signal into the incoming optical signals having P and S polarizations.