Micro-optic delay element for use in a time division multiplexed system

This invention relates generally to optical fiber communications and in particular to multiplexed communications that uses time-division multiplexing. A micro-optical delay element for a time-division multiplexing scheme is disclosed wherein two light beams are provided to a beam splitter/combiner (BS/C) in the absence of optical fibre. At least one beam exiting a modulator is collimated and reaches the (BS/C) unguided as a substantially collimated beam. This obviates a requirement for polarization controllers and polarization maintaining optical fiber