Real-time first- and second-order PMD characterization using averaged state-of-polarization of filtered signal and polarization scrambling

A real-time estimation technique for first- and second-order polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) is presented. It makes use of the spectrum of telecommunication signals. At the output of the transmission fiber, the signal is tapped and filtered. Three filters are used: a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, and a narrow-band filter. The averaged states of polarization (SOPs) of the filtered signals are then measured using a polarimeter. We repeat the measurement for several different input SOPs using a polarization scrambler at the input of the fiber. From these measurements, we deduce the first-order PMD and, subsequently, the second-order PMD.

[1]  D. Penninckx,et al.  A simple dynamic polarization mode dispersion compensator , 1999, OFC/IOOC . Technical Digest. Optical Fiber Communication Conference, 1999, and the International Conference on Integrated Optics and Optical Fiber Communication.

[2]  P.C. Chou,et al.  Real-time principal state characterization for use in PMD compensators , 2001, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[3]  A. Willner,et al.  Adjustable compensation of polarization mode dispersion using a high-birefringence nonlinearly chirped fiber Bragg grating , 1999, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[4]  N. S. Bergano,et al.  Polarization dispersion and principal states in a 147-km undersea lightwave cable , 1988 .

[5]  M. Shtaif,et al.  A compensator for the effects of high-order polarization mode dispersion in optical fibers , 2000, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[6]  L. Buhl,et al.  Spectral resolved PMD vector monitoring using a scanning Fabry-Perot filter and a polarimeter , 2000, LEOS 2000. 2000 IEEE Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings. 13th Annual Meeting. IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society 2000 Annual Meeting (Cat. No.00CH37080).

[7]  Daniel A. Fishman,et al.  Automatic compensation of first order polarization mode dispersion in a 10 Gb/s transmission system , 1998, 24th European Conference on Optical Communication. ECOC '98 (IEEE Cat. No.98TH8398).

[8]  M Karlsson,et al.  Autocorrelation function of the polarization-mode dispersion vector. , 1999, Optics letters.

[9]  A. E. Willner,et al.  Wide-dynamic-range DGD monitoring by partial optical signal spectrum DOP measurement , 2002, Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibit.

[10]  I. Roudas,et al.  Coherent heterodyne frequency-selective polarimeter for error signal generation in higher-order PMD compensators , 2002, Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibit.