The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 09, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2003
William Freeman, Castro Valley, CA (US);
Steve Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Frank H. Levinson, San Jose, CA (US);
William Freeman, Castro Valley, CA (US);
Steve Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Frank H. Levinson, San Jose, CA (US);
Finisar Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A variable electrochromic optical attenuator is provided that is used to control the intensity of a light signal. The electrochromic optical attenuator comprises a semi-transparent electrochromic device, and a plurality of electrodes configured to conduct electricity to the electrochromic device such that the transparency of the electrochromic device will be affected by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the electricity applied to the plurality of electrodes. The intensity of the light signal transmitted through the electrochromic device is affected by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the electricity applied to the plurality of electrodes. The electrochromic optical attenuator also includes at least one polarizing element having an optical polarization axis, wherein the polarizing element transmits a portion of the light signal proportional to the angular difference between the optical polarization axis of the light signal and that of the polarizing element. In one embodiment, the electrochromic optical attenuator is employed in a laser package that includes a laser, a pair of polarizing elements, and a faraday rotator.