Patent ID: 6535656
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: G02B,Y10S

Abstract:
A planar-type optical isolator, comprising:a substrate; a first mode splitter formed on the substrate, the first mode splitter receiving an incident optical signal through an input port and splitting the incident optical signal into a first incident mode and a second incident mode; a second mode splitter formed on the substrate, wherein the second mode splitter combines a first rotated incident mode and a second rotated incident mode to reform the incident optical signal at an output port, and wherein the second mode splitter receives a reflected optical signal on the output port and splits the reflected optical signal into a first reflected mode and a second reflected mode; and a phase shift region formed on the substrate between the first mode splitter and the second mode splitter, wherein the phase shift region includes a nonreciprocal phase shift section and a reciprocal phase shift section, the phase shift region passing the reflected optical signal without altering its modes while causing the first incident mode to become the second rotated incident mode and the second incident mode to become the first rotated incident mode, and wherein the first mode splitter directs the first reflected mode and the second reflected mode away from the input port.