Three-port circulator

1. A three-port circulator adapted to be coupled to a plurality of polarization maintenance (PM) optical fibers comprising:

a non-reciprocal rotating element having a rotation axis and adapted to rotate a polarization of light passing therethrough by a predetermined angle;

a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis;

a first lens optically coupled to the first birefringent wedge, the first lens adapted to direct light existing from a first PM optical fiber to pass through the first lens and enter the first birefringent wedge in an input direction, and light exiting from the first birefringent wedge in an output direction to enter a second PM optical fiber; and

a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis substantially perpendicular to both the rotation axis and the first optical axis, the second birefringent wedge optically coupled between the non-reciprocal rotating element and the first birefringent wedge.

2. The three-port circulator of claim 1 wherein the predetermined angle is substantially 45 degrees.

3. The three-port circulator of claim 1 further comprising a capillary for holding the first and a second PM optical fibers proximate to the first lens.

4. The three-port circulator of claim 1 further comprising a second lens optically coupled to the second birefringent wedge.

5. The three-port circulator of claim wherein the second lens is adapted to direct light exiting from the non-reciprocal rotating element to enter a third PM optical fiber, and light exiting from the third PM optical fiber to enter the non-reciprocal rotating element.

6. The three-port circulator of claim further comprising a capillary for holding the third PM optical fiber proximate to the second lens.

7. The three-port circulator of claim 1 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating clement is a Faraday rotator.

8. A method for circulating light comprising the steps of:

providing a multi-port circulator including a non-reciprocal rotating element for rotating a polarization of light passing therethrough by a first angle with respect to a rotation axis,

a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis, and a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis forming a second angle with the first optical axis;

directing an input polarized optical signal received from a polarization maintenance (PM) optical fiber coupled to a first port of the multi-port optical circulator to pass sequentially through the first birefringent wedge, the second birefringent wedge, and the non-reciprocal rotating element, to provide a output polarized optical signal directed to a second port of the multi-ported optical circulator; and

directing an input polarized optical signal received from a PM optical fiber coupsled to the second port to pass sequentially through the non-reciprocal rotating element, the second birefringent wedge and the first second birefringent wedge, to provide an output polarized optical signal directed to a third port of the multi-ported optical circulator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the non-reciprocal rotating clement is a Faraday rotator.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first angle is substantially 45 degrees.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the second angle is substantially 90 degrees.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising

providing a first lens;

receiving the input polarized optical signal from the first port through the first lens; and

transmitting the output polarized optical signal to the third port through the first lens.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising

providing a second lens;

transmitting the output polarized optical signal to the second port through the second lens; and

receiving the input polarized optical signal from the second port through the second lens.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein

the step of directing an input polarized optical signal received at the first port includes directing the Input polarized optical signal received at the first port to pass sequentially through the first birefringent wedge as an e-ray and the second birefringent wedge as an o-ray; and

the step of directing an input polarized optical signal received at the second port includes directing the input polarized optical signal received at the second port to pass sequentially through the second birefringent wedge as an o-ray and the first birefringent wedge as an e-ray.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein

the step of directing an input polarized optical signal received at the first port includes directing the input polarized optical signal received at the first port to pass sequentially through the first birefringent wedge as an o-ray and the second birefringent wedge as an e-ray, and

the step of directing an input polarized optical signal received at the second port includes directing the input polarized optical signal received at the second port to pass sequentially through the second birefringent wedge as an e-ray and the first birefringent wedge as an o-ray.

16. A three-port circulator comprising:

first, second and third ports coupled to first, second and third polarization maintenance (PM) optical fibers, respectively;

a non-reciprocal rotating element having a rotation axis and adapted to rotate a polarization of tight passing therethrough by a predetermined angle;

a first birefringent wedge having a first optical axis substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis;

a first lens optically coupled to the first birefringent wedge, the first lens adapted to direct light exiting from the first PM optical fiber to pass through the first lens and enter the first birefringent wedge in an input direction, and light exiting from the first birefringent wedge in an output direction to enter the second PM optical fiber; and

a second birefringent wedge having a second optical axis substantially perpendicular to both the rotation axis and the first optical axis, the second birefringent wedge optically coupled between the non-reciprocal rotating element and the first birefringent wedge.

17. A three-port circulator comprising:

first, second and third polarization maintenance (PM) optical fibers;

a first birefringent wedge;

a first lens optically coupled to the first birefringent wedge, the first lens adapted to direct light exiting from the first PM optical fiber to pass through the first lens and enter the first birefringent wedge in an input direction and light exiting from the first birefringent wedge in an output direction to enter the second PM optical fiber;

a second birefringent wedge optically coupled between a non-reciprocal rotating element and the first birefringent wedge;

and a second lens optically coupled to the second birefringent wedge adapted to direct light exiting from the non-reciprocal rotating element to enter the third PM optical fiber, and light exiting from the third PM optical fiber to enter the non-reciprocal rotating element.

18. A three-port circulator comprising:

first, second and third ports for receiving polarized light signals, each of the polarized light signals having only a single polarization along substantially only one axis;

a first birefringent wedge;

a first lens optically coupled to the first birefringent wedge, the first lens adapted to direct polarized light received form the first port to pass through the first lens and enter the first birefringent wedge in an input direction, and polarized light exiting from the first birefringent wedge in an output direction to enter the second port;

a second birefringent wedge optically coupled between a non-reciprocal rotating element and the first birefringent wedge;

and a second lens optically coupled to the second birefringent wedge adapted to direct polarized light exiting from the non-reciprocal rotating element to enter the third port, and polarized light exiting from the third port to enter the non-reciprocal rotating element.