Optical isolator

1. An optical isolator comprising:

a non-reciprocal combination-device having a principal direction including

(a) a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction,

(b) a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction, the second optical axis forming a first angle with respect to the first optical axis, and

(c) a non-reciprocal rotating element optically coupled between the first and the second birefringent wedge and adapted to rotate a polarization of light passing therethrough by a second angle; and

a reflector positioned proximate to the second birefringent wedge, for reflecting light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction to reenter the non-reciprocal combination-device, in a reverse principal direction.

2. The optical isolator of claim 1 further comprising a lens optically coupled to the first wedge.

3. The optical isolator of claim 2 further comprising a capillary for holding at least an input PM optical fiber and an output PM optical fiber proximate to the lens such that,

light exiting from the input PM optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in an input direction with a first polarization, and

light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction passes through the lens and enters the output PM optical fiber.

4. The optical isolator of claim 2 further comprising a capillary for holding at least a first and a second input PM optical fiber, and an output optical fiber proximate to the lens such that,

light exiting from the first input PM optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in a first input direction with a first polarization, and

light exiting from the second input PM optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in a second input direction with a second polarization, and

light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction passes through the lens and enters the output optical fiber.

5. The optical isolator of claim 1 wherein the first angle is substantially 45 degrees and the second angle is substantially 45 degrees.

6. The optical isolator of claim 1 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating element is a Faraday rotator.

7. An optical isolator comprising:

a non-reciprocal combination-device having a principal direction including a first birefringent wedge, a second birefringent wedge, and a non-reciprocal rotating element, the non-reciprocal combination-device configured at least for enabling

(1) light entering the first-birefringent wedge as an e-ray in a first input direction to exit from the second birefringent wedge as an o-ray in the principal direction,

(2) light entering the first birefringent wedge as an o-ray in the principal direction to exit from the second birefringent wedge as an e-ray in a first output direction,

(3) light entering the second birefringent wedge as an o-ray in the reverse principal direction to exit from the first birefringent wedge as an o-ray in the reverse principal direction; and

a reflector positioned proximate to the second birefringent wedge for reflecting light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction to reenter the non-reciprocal combination-device in a reverse principal direction.

8. The optical isolator of claim 7 further comprising a lens optically coupled to the first wedge.

9. The optical isolator of claim 8 further comprising a capillary for holding at least an input PM optical fiber and an output PM optical fiber proximate to the lens such that,

light exiting from the input PM optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in the first input direction as an e-ray, and

light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction passes through the lens and enters the output PM optical fiber.

10. The optical isolator of claim 8 further comprising a capillary for holding at least a first input PM optical fiber, and an output optical fiber proximate to the lens such that,

light exiting from the first input PM optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in the first input direction as an e-ray,

light exiting from the output optical fiber passes through the lens and enters the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as an o-ray, and

light exiting from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction passes through the lens and enters the output optical fiber.

11. The optical isolator of claim 7 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating element is a Faraday rotator.

12. A method of combing first and second polarized light to form combined light in an output port comprising the steps of:

providing a non-reciprocal combination-device having a principal direction and a reverse principal direction;

directing the first polarized light to enter the non-reciprocal combination-device in a first input direction, the first input direction making a non-zero angle with the principal direction, and to exit from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as first intermediate light;

directing the second polarized light to enter the non-reciprocal combination-device in a second input direction, the second input direction making a non-zero angle with the principal direction, and to exit from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as second intermediate light; and

reflecting the first and the second intermediate light to pass back through the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction and enter the output port as combined light.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the non-reciprocal combination-device includes a first birefringent wedge, a second birefringent wedge, and a non-reciprocal rotating element.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating element is a Faraday rotator.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the non-reciprocal combination-device includes

(a) a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction;

(b) a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction, the second optical axis forming a first angle with respect to the first optical axis; and

(c) a non-reciprocal rotating element optically coupled between the first and the second birefringent wedge and adapted to rotate a polarization of light passing therethrough by a second angle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first angle is substantially 45 degrees and the second angle is substantially 45 degrees.

17. A method of directing polarized light from an input port to enter an output port comprising the steps of:

providing a non-reciprocal combination-device having a principal direction and a reverse principal direction;

directing the polarized light to enter the non-reciprocal combination-device in an input direction and to exit from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as intermediate light;

reflecting the intermediate light to pass back through the non-reciprocal combination-device in the reverse principal direction and enter the output port; and

reflecting light provided from the output port such that a direction of propagation of the light makes a non-zero angle with the reverse principal direction and preventing the light from reaching the input port

wherein the non-reciprocal combination-device includes a first birefringent wedge, a second birefringent wedge, and a non-reciprocal rotating element.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating element is a Faraday rotator.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the non-reciprocal combination-device includes

(a) a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction;

(b) a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis perpendicular to the principal direction, the second optical axis forming a first angle with respect to the first optical axis; and

(c) a non-reciprocal rotating element optically coupled between the first and the second birefringent wedge and adapted to rotate a polarization of light passing there thrum by a second angle.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first angle is substantially 45 degrees and the second angle is substantially 45 degrees.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of directing the polarized light includes directing the polarized light to enter the non-reciprocal combination-device in the input direction as an e-ray and to exit from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as an o-ray.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of directing the polarized light includes directing the polarized light to enter the non-reciprocal combination-device in the input direction as an o-ray and to exit from the non-reciprocal combination-device in the principal direction as an e-ray.