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Introduction to polarization mode dispersion in optical systems

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Journal of Optical and Fiber Communications Reports

Abstract

This introduction covers concepts important to the understanding of polarization mode dispersion (PMD), including optical birefringence, mode coupling in long optical fibers, the Principal States Model, and the time and frequency domain behavior of PMD. Other topics addressed include the concatenation rules, bandwidth of the Principal States, PMD statistics and scaling, PMD system impairments, and PMD outage probability calculations.

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  1. OFS Laboratories, Somerset, NJ, USA

    L. E. Nelson

  2. Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, Holmdel, NJ, 07733, USA

    R. M. Jopson

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Nelson, L., Jopson, R. Introduction to polarization mode dispersion in optical systems. J Optic Comm Rep 1, 312–344 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10297-004-0001-5

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