Abstract

In a single-mode fiber excited by light with a fixed polarization state, the output polarizations obtained at two different optical frequencies are related by a Mueller matrix. We examine least-squares procedures for estimating this matrix from repeated measurements of the output Stokes vector for a random set of input polarization states. We then apply these methods to the determination of polarization mode dispersion and polarization-dependent loss in an optical fiber. We find that a relatively simple formalism leads to results that are comparable with those of far more involved techniques.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

Mueller matrix description of polarization mode dispersion and polarization-dependent loss

Michael Reimer and David Yevick
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23(6) 1503-1508 (2006)

Generalized Mueller matrix method for polarization mode dispersion measurement in a system with polarization-dependent loss or gain

H. Dong, P. Shum, M. Yan, J. Q. Zhou, G. X. Ning, Y. D. Gong, and C. Q. Wu
Opt. Express 14(12) 5067-5072 (2006)

Polar decomposition of 3×3 Mueller matrix: a tool for quantitative tissue polarimetry

M. K. Swami, S. Manhas, P. Buddhiwant, N. Ghosh, A. Uppal, and P. K. Gupta
Opt. Express 14(20) 9324-9337 (2006)

Photopolarimetric measurement of the Mueller matrix by Fourier analysis of a single detected signal

R. M. A. Azzam
Opt. Lett. 2(6) 148-150 (1978)

Error analysis for Mueller matrix measurement

Soe-Mie F. Nee
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 20(8) 1651-1657 (2003)