Monitoring polarization-mode dispersion and signal-to-noise ratio in optical signals based on polarization analysis
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effect in an optical signal, comprising:
- splitting an input optical signal with an input optical signal bandwidth into a first optical signal with a first optical signal bandwidth less than the input optical signal bandwidth and a second optical signal with a second optical signal bandwidth different from the first optical signal bandwidth, wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal are centered at a common optical wavelength which is at a center of signal spectral bands of the first optical signal with the first optical signal bandwidth and the second optical signal with the second optical signal bandwidth;
measuring a degree of polarization of the first optical signal and a degree of polarization of the second optical signal, respectively; and
processing the measured degree of polarization of the first optical signal and the measured degree of polarization of the second optical signal to determine a depolarization factor of the input optical signal to reflect the PMD effect in the input optical signal and to determine an optical to signal noise ratio of the input optical signal.
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Abstract
Techniques, devices and applications are provided for monitoring a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effect in an optical signal.
151 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effect in an optical signal, comprising:
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splitting an input optical signal with an input optical signal bandwidth into a first optical signal with a first optical signal bandwidth less than the input optical signal bandwidth and a second optical signal with a second optical signal bandwidth different from the first optical signal bandwidth, wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal are centered at a common optical wavelength which is at a center of signal spectral bands of the first optical signal with the first optical signal bandwidth and the second optical signal with the second optical signal bandwidth; measuring a degree of polarization of the first optical signal and a degree of polarization of the second optical signal, respectively; and processing the measured degree of polarization of the first optical signal and the measured degree of polarization of the second optical signal to determine a depolarization factor of the input optical signal to reflect the PMD effect in the input optical signal and to determine an optical to signal noise ratio of the input optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for monitoring a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effect in an optical signal, comprising:
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a first optical path that transmits light; a second optical path that is separate from the first optical path and transmits light; a first optical switch coupled to a first end of the first optical path and a first end of the second optical path to switch an input optical signal received by the first optical switch into either the first optical path as a first optical signal or the second optical path as a second optical signal, wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal are centered at a common optical wavelength; a first optical filter in the first optical path to filter the first optical signal to have a first optical signal bandwidth that is less than an input optical signal bandwidth of the input optical signal received by the first optical switch and is different from a second optical signal bandwidth of the second optical signal; a second optical switch coupled to a second end of the first optical path and a second end of the second optical path to receive the first and second optical signals and to select either the first optical signal in the first optical path or the second optical signal in the second optical path as an optical output of the second optical switch; an optical detector coupled to receive the optical output of the second optical switch to measure a degree of polarization of the received optical output; and a processing unit in communication with the optical detector to receive output of the optical detector, the processing unit processing the measured degree of polarization of the first optical signal and the measured degree of polarization of the second optical signal to determine a depolarization factor of the input optical signal to reflect the PMD effect in the input optical signal and to determine an optical to signal noise ratio of the input optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification