Patent ID: 6721467
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A method of aligning the polarization axis of a polarization maintaining optical fiber to the polarization of a light source comprising:(a) passing a well-polarized uniform beam through a broad-band polarization rotation device; (b) after passing the well-polarized uniform beam through the broad-band polarization rotation device, passing the well-polarized uniform beam through a polarization maintaining optical fiber; (c) sending the beam through a first polarizer; (d) ascertaining the beam with a detector, the ascertaining the beam to include detection of a ripple amplitude that is transformable to a larger ripple amplitude by sending the beam through a second polarizer, located between the first polarizer and the detector, wherein the second polarizer differs from the first polarizer by a substantial angle; and (e) rotating the polarization of the beam with the broad-band polarization rotation device such that the polarization output is substantially independent of wavelength.