Editing Optical isolator (section)

{{Short description|Optical component allowing the transmission of light in only one direction}}
{{About|the optical component|the optoelectronic component|Opto-isolator}}

[[File:Optical-isolator-linos 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|Optical isolator for laser experiments]]

An '''optical isolator''', or '''optical diode''', is an optical component which allows the transmission of light in only one direction. It is typically used to prevent unwanted [[feedback]] into an [[optical oscillator]], such as a [[laser cavity]].

The operation of conventional optical isolators relies on the [[Faraday effect]] (which in turn is produced by [[magneto-optic effect]]), which is used in the main component, the [[Faraday rotator]]. However, integrated isolators which do not rely on magnetism have been made in recent years too.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=White |first1=Alexander D. |last2=Ahn |first2=Geun Ho |last3=Gasse |first3=Kasper Van |last4=Yang |first4=Ki Youl |last5=Chang |first5=Lin |last6=Bowers |first6=John E. |last7=Vučković |first7=Jelena |title=Integrated passive nonlinear optical isolators |journal=Nature Photonics |date=February 2023 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=143–149 |doi=10.1038/s41566-022-01110-y|arxiv=2206.01173 |bibcode=2023NaPho..17..143W }}</ref>