Patent ID: 6847486

Claim:
A beam splitter comprising: a splitting device adapted for receiving at a first surface a first incident beam in an angle α with respect to an optical axis, for reflecting at the first surface a first portion of the first incident beam at the angle α to the optical axis on opposite side with respect to the first incident beam, and for providing a second beam transmitted through the splitting device, a first optical fiber for emitting the first incident beam via an end thereof and one of a second optical fiber or a detection device for receiving the reflected portion via an end thereof, a collimating device provided at the incident side of the splitting device, so that at least one of the first incident beam or the reflected beam will pass the collimating device, wherein the angle α is selected so that the first reflected portion is substantially independent of the state of polarization of the first incident beam and based on at least one characteristic of the collimating device and a distance between the ends of the first and second optical fibers.