Patent ID: 6873462

Claim:
A three-port circulator adapted to be coupled to a plurality of polarization maintenance (PM) optical fibers comprising: a non-reciprocal rotating element having a rotation axis and adapted to rotate a polarization of light passing therethrough by a predetermined angle; a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis; a first lens optically coupled to the first birefringent wedge, the first lens adapted to direct light existing from a first PM optical fiber to pass through the first lens and enter the first birefringent wedge in an input direction, and light exiting from the first birefringent wedge in an output direction to enter a second PM optical fiber; and a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis substantially perpendicular to both the rotation axis and the first optical axis, the second birefringent wedge optically coupled between the non-reciprocal rotating element and the first birefringent wedge.