OPTICAL FIBER BRAGG GRATING POLARIZER

摘要

Method and apparatus for polarizing light propagating in an optical fiber. T he apparatus has an optical fiber having a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) section of predetermined length therein, and a force applying device for applying a lateral force to a predetermined portion of the FBG section. The predetermin ed portion comprises a predetermined percentage of the predetermined length. Wh en the predetermined percentage is equal to or greater than about 10 percent, t wo polarization states for the light passing through the optical fiber are obtained. When the predetermined percentage is a small portion of the gratin g length, for example, about 1 percent of the length of a chirped grating, a finely tunable optical fiber polarizer is provided. The apparatus can use standard optical fiber such as telecomm fiber and provides various advantage s including the capability of being switched on and off by simply applying and withdrawing the lateral force.