An optical circulator is a special fiber-optic
component that can be used to separate optical
powers that travel in opposite directions in one
single optical fiber, analogous to the operation of
an electronic circulator. An optical circulator is a
three-port device that allows light to travel in
only one direction - from port 1 to port 2, then from
port 2 to port 3. This means that if some of the
light emitted from port 2 is reflected back to the
circulator, it is directed not back to port 1, but
on to port 3. Circulators can also be used to
achieve bi-directional transmission over a single
fiber. Because of its high isolation of the input
and reflected optical powers and its low insertion
loss, optical circulators are widely used in
advanced communication systems and fiber-optic
sensor applications.
Optical circulators are non-reciprocal optics, which
means that changes in the properties of light
passing through the device are not reversed when the
light passes through in the opposite direction. This
can only happen when the symmetry of the system is
broken, for example by an external magnetic field or
a material with optical activity. A Faraday rotator
is another example of a non-reciprocal optical
device.
All products meet the Telcordia GR-910-CORE
requirements.
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