Polarization mode dispersion emulation using polarization maintaining fibers: Fixed root-mean-square differential group delay but varying second-order polarization mode dispersion

Abstract

We report on a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) emulator with a fixed root-mean-square differential group delay (RMS-DGD) but varying second-order PMD (SO-PMD) using only a combination of polarization maintaining fibers and a polarization controller. The SO-PMD control mechanism is not completely in real time. Besides controlling the mean PMD values of the emulator, simultaneous adjustments in the maximum and minimum values of PMD statistics can be performed. We therefore illustrate irregular fluctuations that occur around the RMS-DGD due to SO-PMD. This novel design can be used to further show the impact of a high first-order PMD segment on the DGD and SO-PMD statistical distributions that might occur in an optical network system.