Polarization-maintaining optical rotary coupling

1. A polarization-maintaining optical rotary data transmission device for transmitting linearly polarized light, comprising:

at least one first collimator coupled onto first light-waveguides;

a second collimator coupled onto second light-waveguides and supported to be rotatable relative to the first collimator about an axis of rotation;

an optical path passing between the first collimator and the second collimator;

wherein at least one first polarization converter is disposed in the optical path to rotate jointly with the first collimator, for converting light of linear polarization to light of circular polarization; and

wherein a second polarization converter is disposed in the optical path to rotate jointly with the second collimator, for converting light of circular polarization to light of linear polarization.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the polarization converters comprises a λ/4 plate.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one derotating optical element is provided in the optical path between at least one first collimator and at least one second collimator.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein further polarization converters are provided ahead of and following the derotating element, and are adapted to rotate jointly with the derotating element.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the further polarization converters are λ/4 plates.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-waveguides are polarization-maintaining fibers.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of collimators are arranged to form a collimator unit.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the collimator unit is a monolithic unit.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the monolithic unit comprises at least one micro-optical component.

10. The device according to claim 2 , wherein at least one λ/4 plate has an anti-reflection coating.

11. The device according to claim 2 , wherein at least one λ/4 plate is tilted to be oblique to an incident light beam.

12. The device according to claim 2 , wherein at least two λ/4 plates made of different materials are disposed in series to transmit a plurality of wavelengths.

13. A method for polarization-maintaining transmission of linearly polarized light between a first unit and a second unit that is rotatable relative to the first unit comprising the steps of:

(1) collimating linearly polarized light with a first collimator of the first unit;

(2) converting linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light with a first polarization converter assigned to the first unit;

(3) coupling the light by free space propagation from the first unit to the second unit;

(4) converting circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light with a second polarization converter assigned to the second unit; and

(5) collimating linearly polarized light with a second collimator of the second unit.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein at least one polarization converter is at least one λ/4 plate.

15. Method for polarization-maintaining transmission of linearly polarized light between a first unit and a second unit that is rotatable relative to the first unit, comprising the steps of:

(1) collimating linearly polarized light with a first collimator of the first unit;

(2) converting linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light with a first polarization converter assigned to the first unit;

(3) coupling the light by free space propagation from the first unit to a derotating optical element;

(4) derotating the light with a derotating optical element that rotates with one half of the angular velocity between the first and the second unit;

(5) coupling the light from the derotating element by free space propagation to the second unit;

(6) converting circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light with a second polarization converter assigned to the second unit; and

(7) collimating linearly polarized light with a second collimator of the second unit.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one polarization converter is at least one λ/4 plate.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the derotating element is a Dove prism.

18. Method for polarization-maintaining transmission of linearly polarized light between a first unit and a second unit that is rotatable relative to the first unit comprising the steps of:

(1) collimating linearly polarized light with a first collimator of the first unit;

(2) converting linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light with a first polarization converter assigned to the first unit;

(3) coupling the light by free space propagation from the first unit to a third polarization converter;

(4) converting circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light with the third polarization converter that is moved together with the derotating optical element;

(5) derotating the light with a derotating optical element that rotates with one half of the angular velocity between the first and the second unit;

(6) converting linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light with a fourth polarization converter that is moved together with the derotating optical element;

(7) coupling the light from a fourth λ/4 plate to the second unit by free space propagation;

(8) converting circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light with a second polarization converter assigned to the second unit; and

(9) collimating linearly polarized light with a second collimator of the second unit.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein at least one polarization converter is at least one λ/4 plate.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the derotating element is a Dove prism.