Method and apparatus for measuring polarization
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorPaul Westbrook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of nonlinear polarimetry for measuring higher order moments of the E field of an optical signal is provided. The method includes imposing a phase delay on a first polarization of a received optical signal with respect to a second polarization of the optical signal to produce an intermediate optical signal having a time varying polarization. A polarization of the intermediate optical signal is suppressed. The intermediate optical signal is detected with a plurality of photodetectors, with at least one photodetector configured to be responsive to a nonlinear optical process. Spectra of the photodetector outputs are calculated to determine higher order moments of the E field, and the moments are transformed to obtain the polarization measurement.
Claims15
A method of nonlinear polarimetry for measuring higher order moments of the E field of an optical signal, comprising the steps of:
- imposing a phase delay on a first polarization of a received optical signal with respect to a second polarization of the optical signal to produce an intermediate optical signal having a time varying polarization;
- suppressing a polarization of the intermediate optical signal;
- detecting the intermediate optical signal with a plurality of photodetectors, at least one photodetector being configured to be responsive to a nonlinear optical process;
- calculating spectra of the photodetector outputs to determine higher order moments of the E field;
- and
- transforming the higher order moments to obtain the polarization measurement.
A method of nonlinear polarimetry for measuring higher order moments of an E field of an optical signal, comprising the steps of:
- coupling an optical signal to an optical waveguide having a plurality of waveguide birefringences;
- imposing a phase delay on a first polarization of the optical signal with respect to a second polarization of the optical signal;
- scattering the light with polarization sensitive gratings;
- detecting the scattered light from a plurality of gratings with a plurality of photodetectors, at least one photodetector being configured to be responsive to a nonlinear optical process, the detecting generating detector signals;
- and
- transforming the detector signals to polarization measurements.
13-26. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.