US 12,188,762 B1
Birefringence mitigation in an optical network
Alex Tongue, Dripping Springs, TX (US); and Justin Braun, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to The Shape Sensing Company, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by The Shape Sensing Company, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/885,002.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/582,624, filed on Sep. 14, 2023.
Int. Cl. G01B 11/24 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/2441 (2013.01) 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for mitigating birefringence comprising a first optical subnetwork using optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) receiving optical radiation at a first coupling point, the first optical subnetwork comprising:
a reference arm comprising a first, single mode fiber segment optically connected to the first coupling point;
a measurement arm distinct from the reference arm optically connected to the first coupling point and comprising single mode optical segments and polarization maintaining optical segments, the measurement arm comprising:
a first optical circulator connected to the first coupling point via a second, single mode fiber segment;
a second optical circulator for sending optical radiation to a sensor;
a single mode optical segment between the first optical circulator and the second optical circulator including a third, single mode fiber segment;
an outbound path including a first polarization maintaining optical segment between the first optical circulator and the second optical circulator for rotating a polarization of the optical radiation once relative to a second polarization maintaining optical segment, and including the second polarization maintaining optical segment between the first optical circulator and the second optical circulator.