Apparatus and a method comprising an optical fiber modulator, coupler,

Abstract

An optical fiber switch and modulator component comprising applying a signal, such as, an electrical, magnetic, or microwave signal to a single optical fiber which has a region of uncladding, i.e., a region from which the cladding has been removed and coated with an active material, such as, liquid crystal material, which undergoes a change in optical properties due to the field applied and an optical fiber coupler, switch, modulator, sensor and distributor comprising two or more optical fibers which have been twisted about each other at regions of uncladding of the fibers said region of twisting being coated with the active medium so that a light signal focused into one of the fibers is partially or totally repeatedly transferred from said fiber through the active medium to the other fiber or fibers and back again and/or modulated by the external signal wherein the intensity, the phase, and/or the polarization of the optical signal at the receiving end of each of the fibers can be controlled, detected, compared and/or read out.