An opto-isolator that uses a non-transparent hollow tube as an optical waveguide, which extends between the transmitter and receiver modules of the opto-isolator, and methods for opto-isolation

摘要

Opto-isolator (1; 100-500) comprising: a transmitter module housing (2); a transmitter module (4) which is arranged within the transmitter module housing (2), the transmitter module (4) being an electro-to-opto converter (6) (EOC for short) has, for converting an electrical driver signal into an optical signal; a non-transparent hollow tube (10; 110-510) which has a first end (10a; 110a-510a) and a second end (10b; 110b-510b) ) and has the inner (10c; 110c-510c) and outer (10d; 110d-510d) surfaces defining a wall (10e; 110e-510e) of the hollow tube (10; 110-510), the first end ( 10a; 110a-510a) of the hollow tube is mechanically coupled to the transmitter module housing (2), the inner surface (10c; 110c-510c) of the hollow tube being smooth and having mirror-like properties, the optical signal which is generated by means of the EOC (6) is generated, is optically coupled into the first end (10a; 110a-510a) of the hollow tube and along the hollow tube (10; 110-510) towards the second end it (10b; 110b-510b) of the hollow tube via one or more reflections on the inner surface (10c; 110c-510c) of the hollow tube; a receiver module housing (3) which is mechanically connected to the second end (10b; 110b-510b) of the hollow tube (10; 110-510) is coupled; anda receiver module (7), which is arranged within the receiver module housing (3), the receiver module (7) having an opto-to-electrical converter (9) (OEC for short) for converting optical signals into electrical signals, at least one Part of the optical signal that propagates along the hollow tube (10; 110-510) in the direction of the second end (10b; 110b-510b) of the hollow tube, emerges from the second end (10b; 110b-510b) of the hollow tube and optically onto the OEC (9) is coupled, the hollow tube (10; 110-510) at the first end (10a; 110a-510a) having a diameter that is not equal to a diameter of the hollow tube (10; 110-510) at the second end (10b ; 110b-510b).