Abstract

A new technique for measuring the polarization mode coupling along a polarization-maintaining optical fiber is demonstrated. Additional analyses of optical time-domain reflectometry signals are used. Using a 1.34-μm Nd³⁺:YAG laser as a light source and an acousto-optical light switch to reduce the Fresnel reflection at the input end of the fiber, we have examined characteristics of the polarization mode couplings for four fibers with different extinction ratios. The extinction ratios evaluated by the present method are in good agreement with those obtained by a conventional technique within ±0.5 dB.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Measurement of polarization mode coupling along a polarization-maintaining optical fiber using a backscattering technique

Masataka Nakazawa, Masamitsu Tokuda, and Yukiyasu Negishi
Opt. Lett. 8(10) 546-548 (1983)

Polarization-mode-coupling measurements along a spliced polarization-preserving fiber using a backscattering technique

Masataka Nakazawa, Nori Shibata, Tsuneo Horiguchi, and Shigeyuki Seikai
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 2(7) 1066-1085 (1985)

Mode couplings due to external forces distributed along a polarization-maintaining fiber: an evaluation

Makoto Tsubokawa, Tsunehito Higashi, and Yukiyasu Negishi
Appl. Opt. 27(1) 166-173 (1988)

Degree of polarization including the random-mode-conversion effect in anisotropic single-mode optical fibers

Jun-ichi Sakai
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 1(10) 1007-1018 (1984)

Polarization holding and anisotropic Rayleigh scattering in birefringent single-mode fibers

H. Barfuss and E. Brinkmeyer
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 3(4) 426-431 (1986)