Polarizers are the key components in many fiber optical networks to support the transmission of light signals over optical cables. Polarizers control the polarization of light and transmit light signals in a desired polarized state while blocking or absorbing the rest of the light signal transmitted in other polarized states. Optical polarizers are categorized mainly in two types – circular and in-line polarizes for different industrial applications. In this post, we will learn more about in-line polarizers, their types, and their features.
In-line polarizers are optical devices used to convert unpolarized light into polarized light to support the transmission of light signals in a polarized state. They are designed to block orthogonal polarization while allowing the light signal with one polarization to pass through the fiber cable. It is used to enhance the extinction ratio of the transmitted signal to achieve maximum efficiency and power at the output. In-line polarizers are most commonly used for high-speed communication in optical systems and other industrial applications like test, measurement, and instrumentation applications.
Types of In-Line Polarizers
In-line polarizers are designed either with pigtail or with no tail for specific applications. The pigtail version of the in-line polarizer comes with input/output fibers attached with the package while the no-tail in-line polarizer has two fiber connectors mounted on the package straight away. You can use extra fiber length with a no-tail polarizer for your customized application. You will typically get 1 to 2 meters of fiber cable on each side. However, you can ask for custom designs from your manufacturer to meet your requirements.
Pigtail in-line polarizers allow designers more freedom and space to design optical systems to meet custom requirements as they can use extra fiber to fill the gap if needed. It provides a great level of flexibility during the mounting and installation process to achieve custom results. Pigtail fibers are the most widely used across optical systems, and you can get them in mainly three types of combinations:
- Single-mode to single-mode
- Single-mode to polarization-maintaining fiber
- Polarization maintaining to polarization-maintaining fiber
Features of In-line polarizers
When you get to select in-line polarizers for your industrial applications, there are many polarization characteristics such as extinction ratio, degree of polarization, acceptance angle, optical path length, and so on that you need to look for to make the right selections. A good quality in-line polarizer has the following features:
- Low insertion loss
- High extinction ratio
- Compact size
- Rigged design
- High return loss
- High stability and reliability
At DK Photonics, we provide high-quality in-line polarizers for fiber optic networks, measurement, and instrumentation applications. Contact us for custom requirements/design and get a free quote.
