N. Gisin et B. Huttner, COMBINED EFFECTS OF POLARIZATION MODE DISPERSION AND POLARIZATION-DEPENDENT LOSSES IN OPTICAL FIBERS, Optics communications, 142(1-3), 1997, pp. 119-125
A general description of the effects of combined polarization mode dis
persion (PMD) and polarization dependent losses (PDL) in single-mode o
ptical fiber networks is presented. It generalizes the concept of prin
cipal polarization states and its associated dynamical equation to the
case where PDL is significant. The dynamical equation for the PDL vec
tor <(Gamma)over right arrow> defined as the least attenuated polariza
tion state, is also derived. In the presence of both PMD and PDL, the
two principal polarization states are not orthogonal, leading to inter
ferences producing anomalously large pulse spreading. This may affect
the transmission capacity of the optical network. Our description also
shows that the global attenuation and PDL of the fiber becomes a stat
istical quantity, varying with the wavelength. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scien
ce B.V.