Aspects of Polarization in Optical Fiber Transmission

Abstract

The increasing demand for bandwidth is driving towards the deployment of large capacity transmission systems. Systems based on 10 Gb/s channel rates are being deployed and the plans for channel rates as high as 40 Gb/s are in offing. The paper considers polarization effects as an important limiting parameter for high speed communication networks like SONET and STM. This limitation is estimated in terms of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). PMD is caused by asymmetry in the fiber geometry and by localized stress throughout the waveguide (birefringence). Representation of polarization in optical fibers has been presented. Various polarization handling methods have been discussed. As polarization mode dispersion represents a major impairment for high bit rate systems producing pulse broadening and distortion leading to performance degradation, measuring and then minimizing polarization mode dispersion is becoming increasingly important in high performance fiber optic systems. Since optical transmission systems are usually made of several components each contributing the total PMD effect on the transmission system, even small PMD values (10–100 fs) of the type found in fiber or optical components must be determined to guarantee the performance of the transmission link. General PMD compensation/equalization and measurement techniques have been reviewed in the paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

B B Tiwari

B B Tiwari was born in 1962 in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He postgraduated in Electronics & Communication Engineering with his dissertation on fibre optics in 1986 from University of Roorkee and subsequently got his PhD in Optical Fibre Communication from Institute of Engineering & Techology, Lucknow University, in 1993. He joined Thaper Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala in 1986, as Lecturer in the Department of Electronics Engineering. After a short while he shifted to Institute of Engineering & Technology, Lucknow, as Lecture in the Department of Electronics Engineering.

Dr Tiwari was responsible for overall development of the Institutional as well as Departmental Infrastructure at IET, Lucknow as one of its founding faculty members. He joined Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad in 1994 as reader. He coordinated the establishment of Institute of Engineering & Technology, at Dr RML Avadh University, Faizabad as well as organized various activities related to the development of the Department of Physics & Electronics and various Infrastrutural requirements of the University.

Very recently Dr Tiwari shifted to VBS Purvanchal University, Jaunpur as Professor & Head of Electronics Engineering Department where he is also looking after the responsibilities of the Director, Uma Nath Singh Institute of Engieering & Technology at VBS Purvanchal University Campus. Dr Tiwari is very actively engaged there for the establishment of laboratories and development of other academic activities.

Dr Tiwari has organized National Conference and Seminar in various capacities, visited various reputed Institutions and Organizations, and has delivered lectures at various organization. He is member of various professional bodies of repute. His main areas of interest are Optical Fibre communication, Soliton Transmission and Optical Fibre Network.

Vibha Tripathi

Vibha Tripathi was born in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in 1977. She received her MSc Degree in Electronics in 1998 from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad. Miss Tripathi has attended several National Conferences and seminars and presented her research papers in National Journals and International conference proceedings. She is an Associate Member of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers. Her research interests include Fibre Optics, Photonics, Optical Communication, Nonlinear Optics etc.

She has also taken up part time teaching in Physics & Electronics Engineering at the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr RML Avadh University, Faizabad during last Autumn.

She has worked on ‘Optical Fibre Transmission System for Enhanced Speed and Span’ towards her PhD Thesis.