[OPTICAL REVIEW Vol. 8, No. 3 (2001) 153-155]
Measurements of Key Parameters for Birefringent Single-Mode Optical Fibers by Optical Frequency-Domain Interferometry
Yoshihiro OHTSUKA* and Syumei TOKUYAMA
Institute for Advanced Technology, Moritex Coorporation, 1-3-3, Azamino-Minami, Aoba-Ku, Yokohama, 225-0012 Japan
(Received December 25, 2000; Accepted April 2, 2001)
This Letter describes measurements of modal birefringence (MB) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD) of a birefringent single-mode optical fiber for use at 1.5 μm in optical wavelength. Optical frequency-domain interferometry based on a fixed analyzer method is applied to the measurement of orthogonal polarization components of light guided in the fiber. An amplified spontaneous emission source having an optical wavelength range between 1520 and 1560 nm is used. A channeled interference spectrum is obtained to measure MB and PMD in turn. These two parameters are not frequency-dependent in the above optical wavelength range and MB=4.0×10−4 and PMD=1.33 ps/m are obtained.
Key words : modal birefringence, polarization mode dispersion, birefringent single-mode optical fiber, optical frequency-domain interferometry