摘要 |
An optical circulator having first, second, and third ports. The optical circulator includes a beam splitter and a plurality of Faraday stages. The beam splitter is connected to the first and third ports and separates a first light signal entering the first port into first and second outgoing light signals. The beam splitter also separates a second light signal entering the third port into third and fourth outgoing light signals. The first, second, third, and fourth outgoing light signals are spaced-apart from one another. The first and second outgoing light signals include, respectively, orthogonal polarization components from the first light signal, and the third and fourth outgoing light signals include, respectively, orthogonal polarization components from the second light signal. The Faraday stages, including a first Faraday stage and a last Faraday stage, being arranged in series. The first Faraday stage receives light from the beam splitter, and the last Faraday stage is positioned so as to provide light to the second port. The second port and the walk-off directions and directions of rotation of the Faraday stages are chosen such that light entering the first port exits the second port, light entering the second port exits the third port, and light entering the third port is prevented from exiting the first and second ports.
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