Polarizing optical fiber with absorbing jacket

Claim 1

A polarizing fiber optic waveguide, comprising: a core formed of a fiber optic material for propagating optical signals, said core including a plurality of layers of fiber optic material, said core being formed to have a first core refractive index n z for light polarized along a first axis and a second core refractive index n y for light polarized along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; a cladding surrounding said core, said cladding being formed to have a cladding refractive index n clad at least as large as said first core refractive index n z and less than second core refractive index n y , the relative magnitudes of the refractive indices n y , n y and n clad cooperating to retain light waves polarized along the first axis in the cladding and to radiate from the core into the cladding light waves polarized along the second axis; and a jacket surrounding said cladding, said jacket being formed of a material which absorbs light propagating in said cladding such that said jacket absorbs light polarized along the second axis after it has radiated from said core into said cladding.