Patent ID: 6697198
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An interleaver/deinterleaver apparatus, having first, second, and third paths, comprising:a first port capable of transmitting a first optical signal, which comprises a second optical signal comprising at least one wavelength channel from a first subset of wavelength channels and a third optical signal comprising at least one wavelength channel from a second subset of wavelength channels; a second port capable of transmitting said second optical signal; a third port capable of transmitting said third optical signal; a birefringent assembly optically coupled to the first, second and third ports, whereby after a first pass through the birefringent assembly the second signal exits the birefringent assembly with a polarization orthogonal to the polarization of the third signal; first beam splitting/combining means for separating the first signal input from the first port into the second signal and the third signal, or for combining the second signal input from the second port with the third signal input from the third port into the first signal; and first reflecting means for directing the second and third signals separately back through the birefringent assembly for a second pass along said second and third paths, respectively, for output via the second and third ports, respectively, or for reflecting the second and third signals, which traveled said second and third paths during a first pass, back together through the birefringent assembly for a second pass along said first path to the first port.