Waveguide mach-zehnder optical isolator utilizing transverse magneto-optical phase shift

摘要

A device and method for optical isolation for use in optical systems is disclosed. The device provides for a waveguide optical isolator fabricated using two arms, made of optical waveguides comprising magneto-optical material, in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration. The device of the present invention operates using the TM mode of a light wave and, thus, does not require phase-matching of TM and TE modes. Further, the present invention does not use polarizers to extinguish the optical feed-back.