Polarization transmission characteristics of optical fibers with elliptical cross section

Abstract

Abstract In the transmission via optical fibers connected to laser diodes, optical switches, optical filters, etc., or in high‐sensitivity high‐selectivity optical heterodyne detection system, polarization characteristics become important in addition to transmission loss and dispersion. The polarization transmission characteristics of optical fibers with elliptic cross‐section are calculated by characteristic matrix method for large values of ellipticity. For two orthogonal polarization modes (oHE 11 and eHE 11 modes) the transmission velocity, group velocity and their difference (elliptic double refraction) are obtained. The group delay difference among modes is very small but elliptic double refraction greatly affects the polarization characteristics.