Patent ID: 6128422
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
An optical polarization based switch comprising:a first polarization cross coupler that receives an input optical signal and that generates an intermediate optical signal from said input optical signal by dividing optical power in said input optical signal into a first polarization state and a second polarization state;an optical medium that receives said intermediate optical signal and that receives an optical pump signal, said optical medium responding to the pump signal to affect the optical power in said first polarization state differently than the optical power in said second polarization state;a second polarization cross coupler in communication with said optical medium to receive said intermediate optical signal, said second polarization cross coupler generating a combined optical signal by recombining optical power in said first and second polarization states, said combined optical signal having a polarization responsive to the presence or absence of the optical pump signal in said optical medium; anda polarization dependent coupler that couples said combined optical signal into an output waveguide when said polarization of said combined optical signal has a preferred polarization state.