Patent ID: 6782145
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
An optical circulator comprising:a first port; a second port opposite to the first port; a third port adjacent to the first port; a first birefringent material optically coupled to the first port and the third port, the first birefringent material having a longitudinal axis, a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a first displacement direction and a first length, the first displacement direction being at a first oblique angle from the transverse direction; a first rotator pair, the first birefringent material being between first rotator pair and the first port; a second birefringent material, the first rotator pair being between the first birefringent material and the second birefringent material, the second birefringent material having a second longitudinal axis and a second displacement direction, the second displacement direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. a beam deflector for altering a direction of the first optical path and the second optical path, the beam deflector being located between the first rotator pair and the second birefringent material such that the beam deflector is directly optically coupled to the second birefringent material; a second rotator pair, the second birefringent material being between the first rotator pair and the second rotator pair; and a third birefringent material, the third birefringent material having a third longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, the transverse direction perpendicular to the third longitudinal axis, a third displacement direction and a second length, the third displacement direction being at a second oblique angle from the transverse direction; wherein a first optical path is established from the first port to the second port, and a second optical path is established from the second port to the third port such that when an optical signal is input at the first port the optical signal travels along the first optical path to the second port and when the optical signal is input to the second port the optical signal travels along the second optical path to the third port.