Demonstration of an optimal polarization scrambler for long-haul optical amplifier systems

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 6; no. 9; pp. 1153 - 1155
• Main Authors: Bruyere, F., Audouin, O., Letellier, V., Bassier, G., Marmier, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.09.1994; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Erbium-doped fiber amplifier; Exact sciences and technology; Optical amplifiers; Optical attenuators; Optical fiber polarization; Optical polarization; Optical saturation; Page description languages; Phase modulation; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Optical polarization; Optical transmission; Theoretical study; Numerical simulation; Scrambling; Fiber amplifier; Experimental study; Gain; Optimization; Signal to noise ratio
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/68.324696

Polarization scrambling of the input signal in a long-haul erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) system is studied both experimentally and theoretically. Demonstration of an optimal polarization scrambler is achieved ensuring complete suppression of the signal decay caused by polarization dependent gain (PDG) in EDFAs. Best performance of the system is attained without imposing severe requirements on the polarization scrambler in terms of residual degree of polarization. Close agreement between measurements and calculations provides a valuable validation of the assumed linear dependency of the PDG differential gain with the degree of polarization of the light.< >