Patent ID: 6941032
Filing Date: 2005-09-06
Classification: G02B,H04B

Abstract:
1. A polarization stabilizing device comprising: an input light path for receiving a light signal having an arbitrary polarization state; a divider arranged in the input light path to split the light signal into first and second components; a first interferometric arm arranged to receive from the divider the first component of the light signal; a second interferometric arm arranged to receive from the divider the second component of the light signal; an output path for outputting the light signal from the first and second interferometric arms; at least one polarizer arranged either in the first and second interferometric arms, or in the output path, to define an output polarization state for the light signal; and at least one elliptical retarder arranged in at least one of the first and second interferometric arms to generate first and second polarization states in the first and second interferometric arms, respectively, that are orthogonal to each other for at least one polarization state of the input light signal so that the first polarization state is transmitted by the at least one polarizer and the second polarization state is absorbed by the at least one polarizer, thereby to output the light signal in the output polarization state defined by the at least one polarizer.