Patent ID: 7505640

Claim:
An optical polarization beam splitter, comprising: an input optical coupler configured to split an incident optical signal into first and second optical signal portions, the incident optical signal having first and second orthogonal polarization states, the input optical coupler including a first waveguide branch and a second waveguide branch, such that the first optical signal portion is supplied to the first waveguide branch and the second optical signal portion is supplied to the second waveguide branch, the first waveguide branch including a birefringent section having form birefringence and including a birefringent layer and a core layer, wherein the birefringent layer is coated on and in contact with the core layer, the first and second waveguide branches being configured to supply the first and second optical signal portions, respectively; and an output optical coupler configured to receive and combine the first and second optical signal portions, the output optical coupler having first and second ports, wherein the first port supplies a first output optical signal having the first orthogonal polarization and the second port supplies a second output optical signal having the second orthogonal polarization, the first output optical signal is substantially without light having the second orthogonal polarization and the second optical signal is substantially without light having the first orthogonal polarization.