Spectral-domain measurement of polarimetric sensitivity of a side-hole fiber to temperature and hydrostatic pressure

Abstract

The spectral dependence of the polarimetric sensitivity of a birefringent side-hole fiber to temperature and hydrostatic pressure was measured using a simple experimental setup comprising a broadband source, a polarizer, a birefringent fiber under test, a birefringent delay line, an analyzer and a compact spectrometer. The spectral interferograms, characterized by the equalization wavelength at which spectral interference fringes have the highest visibility (the largest period) due to the zero overall group birefringence, were processed to retrieve the phase as a function of wavelength. First, from the retrieved phase functions corresponding to different temperatures of the fiber under test, the spectral polarimetric sensitivity to temperature was obtained. Second, from the retrieved phase functions corresponding to different hydrostatic pressures in a chamber with the fiber under test, the spectral polarimetric sensitivity to hydrostatic pressure was obtained.