Patent ID: 6011649
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
An optical assembly for selectively coupling ports that include first and third ports at a forward end of said optical assembly and a second port at a rearward end opposite to said forward end, said optical assembly comprising:a polarization mixer means for establishing propagation paths for orthogonal polarization components of beams introduced from said first and third ports such that forward propagation paths of first and second orthogonal polarization components of said beam from said first port are spaced apart while being respectively coincident with spaced-apart forward propagation paths of third and fourth orthogonal polarization components of said beam from said third port; andan array of optical elements having a forward face positioned adjacent to said polarization mixer means such that said forward propagation paths are incident to said forward face, said array including at least two walk-off elements which are dependent upon polarization directions of said polarization components, said array having combined walk-off properties for said first, second, third, and fourth polarization components to align said first and second polarization components with said second port, said array including a polarization combiner means at said forward face of said array for shifting forward propagation paths of said polarization components such that shifted forward propagation paths of said first and second polarization components are coincident and are spaced apart from shifted forward propagation paths of said third and fourth polarization components, said polarization combiner means including a pair of walk-off elements.