Influence of the irregularity of twisting of the birefringence axes of single-mode optical fibers on the polarization nonreciprocity of fiber ring interferometers

Abstract

A particular example of the so-called minimum-configuration fiber ring interferometer whose loop comprises two different-length segments of a single-mode optical fiber with the same linear birefringence but different twisting is used to show that even in the case where the birefringence axes at the loop input coincide with the polarizer transmission direction, the phenomenon of polarization nonreciprocity of the fiber ring interferometer can emerge. It is shown that polarization nonreciprocity can be eliminated by the proper adjustment of the axes of a single-mode optical fiber, but the above adjustment should be changed if the waveguide temperature is changed. It is also shown that polarization nonreciprocity is a function of the light wavelength and the polarization nonreciprocity value in a fiber ring interferometer varies quasiperiodically in response to the temperature change in an optical fiber with random irregularities.