Patent ID: 7120340
Filing Date: 2006-10-10
Classification: C03B,G02B,H01S

Abstract:
1. An optically active linear single polarization device, comprising: a linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for propagating light and having a single polarization wavelength range; and a plurality of active dopants disposed in a portion of the linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for providing operation of the waveguide in an operating wavelength range for overlapping the single polarization wavelength range, wherein the waveguide comprises a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber having optical fiber polarization components along a first linear polarization characteristic mode and along a second linear polarization characteristic mode with a sufficient differential polarization dependent loss (PDL) between the first and second modes accumulated over a sufficiently long waveguide length such that the first polarization mode has a first attenuation of at least 3dB at a first cut-off wavelength and the second polarization has a second attenuation of at least 3dB at a second cut-off wavelength to provide the single polarization wavelength range having a single polarization center wavelength between the first and second cut-off wavelengths and the first cut-off wavelength is less than the second cut-off wavelength, wherein the single polarization center wavelength is sufficiently close to a center operating wavelength of the operating wavelength range.