Abstract

In many applications, single-mode fibers which can transmit a stable well-defined state of polarization are required. This has led to development of several types of highly birefringent fibers which should be able to hold, or propagate, linearly polarized light along the entire fiber length, even when subjected to irregular and time-dependent perturbing birefringences. These polarization-maintaining fibers are usually characterized by the strength of their linear birefringence β_i or, equivalently, their beat length L_p = 2π//β_i which can be measured quite simply. The more relevant characterization, namely, how well the fibers hold polarization when subjected to perturbations, is not so simple to perform.

© 1982 Optical Society of America