Abstract: An optical isolator with a collimator which is used at the tip end of a laser beam transmitting fiber utilized in a laser processing. The optical isolator can provide solutions to the problems how to make return lights to be isolated from an incident light path and how to prevent the light energy from being conducted to an incident fiber, a laser oscillator, the collimator, and the optical isolator. The solutions include light-receiving fibers disposed at focal points of a collimator lens to which reflected lights from a workpiece return through the optical isolator. The return lights are then led to a ceramic tube where the return light energy is converted to thermal energy and dissipated.

Abstract: An optical isolator with a collimator which is used at the tip end of a laser beam transmitting fiber utilized in a laser processing. The optical isolator can provide solutions to the problems how to make return lights to be isolated from an incident light path and how to prevent the light energy from being conducted to an incident fiber, a laser oscillator, the collimator, and the optical isolator. The solutions comprise light-receiving fibers (22 and 23) disposed at focal points of a collimator lens (5) to which reflected lights from a workpiece return through the optical isolator. The return lights are then led to a ceramic tube (24) where the return light energy is converted to thermal energy and dissipated.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an optical component, long-shaped members 2e, 2f each for a polarizer, 3a for a Faraday rotator, 4a for a compensator are fixed on the substrate 1 by an epoxy adhesive to fabricate an interim article. The interim article is then adhered on a glass substrate 9 by wax 10. The interim article is then cut into pieces each of which is used as an optical component for an optical isolator.

Abstract: A method of bonding a light polarizer having a metal sheet 4, 4-1 affixed to an end face thereof to a securing metal layer 5 involves bonding the securing metal layer 6 to the metal sheet 4, 4-1 by means of welding, whereby not only the working efficiency may be enhanced, but also long-term reliability in bonding may be ensured.

Abstract: An optical isolator according to the invention comprises a first birefringent element for separating an incident light beam into two light beams that are vertical to each other in the polarization direction and are not parallel with each other in the propagation direction, a 45.degree. Faraday rotator, a second birefringent element that is identical with the first birefringent element in terms of the light beam-separation angle but is different by 45.degree. from the first polarizer in terms of the angle the separated two light beams make to the polarization of the beams, and at least one birefringent crystal plane plate that has a function capable of converging two parallel light beams, with the planes of polarization at right angles with each other, into a single beam.