Polarization Independent All-fiber Optical Circulator

Abstract

There is provided an optical circulator (16) for bidirectional communication on a fiber optic communication transmission system. Polarization preserving single-mode fiber lengths (26), (28) connect all-fiber polarization splitter (18) with the Faraday single-mode fiber lengths (22), (24). Polarization preserving single-mode fiber lengths (30), (32) connect the opposite ends of Faraday single-mode fiber lengths (22), (24) with all-fiber polarization splitter (20). A communication transmitter is connected to splitter (18) at port 1, and a communication receiver is connected to splitter (18) at port 3. A fiber optic communication link (50) is connected to splitter (20) at port 2. The components of optical circulator (16) cooperate such that light transmitted into port 1 exits from port 2, and light transmitted into port 2 exits from port 3.