A polarization independent haen pendent an optical switching element / damping member

摘要

An optical device which controls the strength of an optical signal from an input fiber (27) to an output fiber (28) responsive to a signal on a control terminal. The device has a first GRIN lens (21) associated with the input fiber (27), a first birefringent polarizer (22), a liquid crystal cell (20), a second birefringent polarizer (24) and a second GRIN lens (25) associated with the output fiber (28). The liquid crystal cell (20), located between the first (22) and second (24) polarizes and connected to a control terminal, controllably rotates the optical signal from the optical axis of the first polarizer toward the optical axis of the second polarizer responsive to the signal on said control terminal. The operation of the device is independent of the polarization of the optical signal in the input fiber. Furthermore, the device can be operated as an optical switch or an optical attenuator by suitably arranging the axes of the polarizers and liquid crystal cell.