SC288 Fundamentals of Polarization, PMD and PDL in Lightwave Systems

Sunday, March 21, 2010
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Robert Jopson; Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent, USA


Course Description

Polarization phenomena become increasingly important as greater performance is extracted from lightwave systems. This course is designed to provide an understanding of the various aspects of polarization that affect component specification and system performance. In the first hour of this four-hour course, we review fundamental elements of polarization, including linear, circular and elliptical polarization, their descriptions using Jones and Stokes formalism, as well as unpolarized and partially polarized light. After this review, we look at fiber and component properties such as birefringence, polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and polarization-mode dispersion (PMD). The influence on polarization of standard single-mode fiber (SMF), polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) and splices in PMF can now be understood. Polarization components such as polarizers, polarization beam splitters, polarization controllers and polarization scramblers as well as polarization-analyzing instruments will be discussed. Finally, we will discuss the influence of PMD on lightwave system performance and mention methods of reducing impairment caused by PMD. Where possible, an intuitive description will be used rather than a mathematical description; however, Jones and Stokes formalism as well as the more intuitive Poincaré sphere will be shown.


Benefits and Learning Objectives

This course should enable you to:

  • Describe polarization evolution in optical fiber.
  • Compare Jones vectors, Stokes vectors and the Poincaré sphere.
  • Specify polarization-axis alignment tolerance for components and splices using polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF).
  • Describe the use of a polarization-analyzing instrument.
  • Explain polarization-dependent loss (PDL).
  • Describe the origins of polarization-mode dispersion (PMD).
  • Determine PMD-induced outage probability in uncompensated lightwave systems.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for engineers, technicians and managers working with systems or instruments affected by polarization. Participants should have a basic understanding of the nature of light or other electromagnetic waves.


Biography

Robert Jopson received a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of California at Davis and a doctorate degree in physics from Harvard University. Since 1983 he has worked on lightwave systems at Bell Labs in Holmdel, New Jersey. He has worked on semiconductor optical amplifiers, reflections in lightwave systems, high-speed transmission systems, polarization-mode dispersion and fiber parametric gain.