To meet the need for high output of light power and to realize a polarized wave branching function and a polarized wave multiplexing function with a small space.
The unit is provided with a double refracting element 30 for branching which branches a linearly polarized input light into a light of a different optical path having its polarizing direction in orthogonal relation, a double refracting element 32 for multiplexing which multiplexes a light of a different optical path having its polarizing direction in orthogonal relation, and a polarized wave rotating means which is positioned between both the double refracting elements and rotates the polarizing direction of passing light of a light path by 90°, and two input lights are branched and multiplexed as two output lights in different combination. The polarized wave rotating means can be composed of one or two linear phase elements (1/2 wavelength plate) 34.
ABE SHOHEI
WADA HIDEAKI
OTA NAOKO
MAEDA IKUO
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