Technique for mitigation of polarization mode dispersion in fiber optic transmission links

A method of mitigating polarization mode dispersion (PMD) in an optical communications system, comprising the steps of:

• propagating at least one optical signal received from an optical source through a first section of an optical fiber;
• receiving the at least one optical signal from the first section of the optical fiber;
• continually rotating the polarization state of the at least one optical signal at a distance from an optical source less than or equal to the correlation length of the optical fiber;
• propagating the at least one rotated optical signal through a second section of the optical fiber over a distance less than or equal to the correlation length;
• receiving the at least one rotated optical signal from the second section of the optical fiber;
• continually further rotating the polarization state of the at least one optical signal;
• and
• propagating the at least one further rotated optical signal through a third section of the optical fiber.

A method of compensating for polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects in an optical communications system, comprising the steps of:

• propagating a plurality of multiplexed optical signals received from an optical source through a first section of an optical fiber;
• receiving the plurality of optical signals from the first section of the optical fiber;
• continually rotating the polarization states of the plurality of optical signals to randomly change the polarization states of the optical signals at a distance from the optical source less than or equal to the correlation length of the optical fiber;
• propagating the rotated plurality of optical signals through a second section of the optical fiber over a distance less than or equal to the correlation length;
• receiving the rotated plurality of optical signals from the second section of the optical fiber;
• continually further rotating the respective polarization states of the plurality of
• optical signals to randomly change the polarization states of the optical signals;
• propagating the further rotated plurality of optical signals through a third section of the optical fiber;
• receiving the rotated optical signals;
• converting the rotated optical signals into electrical signals;
• and
• correcting any bit errors which may have been introduced.

A method of mitigating polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects in an optical communications system, comprising the steps of:

• continually rotating the polarization states of a plurality of multiplexed optical signals to randomly change the polarization states of the optical signals between first and second adjacent sections of an optical fiber;
• propagating the rotated plurality of optical signals through the second of the adjacent sections of the optical fiber;
• receiving the rotated optical signals;
• converting the rotated optical signals into electrical signals;
• and
• correcting any bit errors which may have been introduced.

An optical communications system that mitigates polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects, comprising:

• an optical fiber including a plurality of sections;
• an optical compensator disposed between adjacent sections of the optical fiber for continuously rotating the polarization state of at least one optical signal received from a first of a pair of adjacent sections of the optical fiber signals to randomly change the polarization state of the at least one optical signal such that at least one rotated optical signal is communicated to a second of the pair of adjacent sections;
• an optical receiver for receiving the at least one optical signal;
• and
• an error correction device for correcting any bit errors which may have been introduced.

An optical communications system that mitigates polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects, comprising:

• an optical source that transmits a plurality of multiplexed optical signals;
• an optical fiber coupled to the optical source, the optical fiber including a plurality of sections;
• an optical compensator disposed between adjacent sections of the optical fiber for continuously rotating the polarization state of at least one optical signal received from a first of a pair of adjacent sections of the optical fiber to randomly change the polarization state of the at least one optical signal such that at least one rotated optical signal is communicated to a second of the pair of adjacent sections;
• an optical receiver for receiving the at least one optical signal;
• and
• an error correction device for correcting any bit errors which may have been introduced.