Patent ID: 6947617
Filing Date: 2005-09-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A polarized wave scrambler comprising: a first polarization maintaining optical fiber and a second polarization maintaining optical fiber, wherein a constant component of a phase difference characteristic for optical frequency between a high-speed axis and a low-speed axis of said first polarization maintaining optical fiber is equal to a constant component of a phase difference characteristic for optical frequency between a high-speed axis and a low-speed axis of said second polarization maintaining optical fiber, and a slope for optical frequency of said phase difference characteristic of said first polarization maintaining optical fiber is different from a slope for optical frequency of said phase difference characteristic of said second polarization maintaining optical fiber, wherein a plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of said first polarization maintaining optical fiber and said linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to said first polarization maintaining optical fiber, and wherein said first polarization maintaining optical fiber and said second polarization maintaining optical fiber are spliced such that said high-speed axis of said first polarization maintaining optical fiber corresponds to said low-speed axis of said second polarization maintaining optical fiber, and said low-speed axis of said first polarization maintaining optical fiber corresponds to said high-speed axis of said second polarization maintaining optical fiber.