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EP0436343A2
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Apparatus for providing depolarized light
Assignee: Smiths Industries Aerospace and Defense Systems Inc
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Filing: 1990-12-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-12-18
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for depolarizing light received from a source of light (2) comprises a body of material that defines an optical waveguide (22), the material of the body and the length of the waveguide being such that when polarized light is propagated through the waveguide, light in one of two polarization eigen states is retarded relative to light in the other polarization eigen state by a time such as to destroy phase coherence between the polarization eigen states of the light emitted by the source. The relative amplitudes of the two polarization eigen states of polarized light entering the waveguide are adjusted.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter S. Lovely
- 👤 Leon Mccaughan
- 👤 Edwin Boyd Osgood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 21:31
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M11/00; G01M11/30; G01M11/31; G01M11/3181; G01M11/3109; G01M11/3154; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/14; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/27; G02B6/2726; G02B6/274; G02B6/2753; G02B6/2786
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for depolarizing light received from a source of polarized light, characterized by: a body of material that defines an optical waveguide (22), the material of the body and the length of the waveguide being such that when polarized light is propagated through the waveguide, light in one of two polarization eigen states is retarded relative to light in the other polarization eigen state by a time such as to destroy phase coherence between the polarization eigen states of the light emitted by the source, and means (6) for adjusting the relative amplitudes of the two polarization eigen states of polarized light entering the waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of material comprises a die of LiNbO₃ and the optical waveguide is a Ti diffused channel waveguide formed the die.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a second waveguide (26) is formed in the die of LiNbO₃, and the apparatus further comprises an electrode structure (28, 30) for influencing coupling of light between the two waveguides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterzied in that the material of the body and the length of the waveguide are such that the retardation is greater than the coherence time associated with the autocorrelation function of the light source and is substantially equal to (n + 1/2) times the period of the autocorrelation function, where n is an integer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for selectively coupling an optical fiber (12) to either a source of polarized light (2) or a light detector (18), the apparatus being characterized by: a directional coupler (10) having a first port for receiving light from the source, a second port for emitting light towards and receiving light from the fiber, and a third port for emitting light towards the detector, the coupler defining an optical waveguide (22) through which light is propagated from the first port to the second port, the material and length of the waveguide being such that when polarized light is propagated from the first port to the second port through the optical waveguide, light in one of two polarization eigen states is retarded relative to light in the other polarization eigen state by a time such as to destroy phase coherence between the polarization eigen states of the light emitted by the source, and means (6) for adjusting the relative amplitudes of the two polarization eigen states of polarized light entering the coupler at the first port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the material of the body and the length of the waveguide are such that the retardation is greater than the coherence time associated with the autocorrelation function of the light source and is substantially equal to (n + 1/2) times the period of the autocorrelation function, where n is an integer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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