Patent ID: 6411749
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A polarization optical splitter comprising:a polarizing beam splitter for splitting light into two orthogonal linear polarizations with one polarization being transmitted and the other being reflected; an optical fiber forming an input port and disposed on a first side of said polarizing beam splitter, said fiber directing a light beam having two orthogonal linear polarizations into the polarizing beam splitter; a polarization maintaining optical fiber forming a first output port and disposed on a second side of said polarizing beam splitter for receiving the polarized light transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter; a polarization maintaining optical fiber forming a second output port, said fiber being disposed parallel to the optical fiber forming the input port; a first collimating lens disposed between the polarizing beam splitter and the input and second output ports; a second collimating lens disposed between the polarizing beam splitter and the first output port; and a reflector disposed at a position such that the optical path length to the reflector is equal to one focal length of the first collimating lens so as to reflect the beam reflected by the polarizing beam splitter back towards the polarizing beam splitter wherein the beam will be directed toward one of the second output fiber.