DEMONSTRATION OF AN OPTIMAL POLARIZATION SCRAMBLER FOR LONG-HAUL OPTICAL AMPLIFIER SYSTEMS

Polarization scrambling of the input signal in a long-haul erbium-dope d fiber amplifier (EDFA) system is studied both experimentally and the oretically. Demonstration of an optimal polarization scrambler is achi eved ensuring complete suppression of the signal decay caused by polar ization dependent gain (PDG) in EDFAs. Best performance of the system is attained without imposing severe requirements on the polarization s crambler in terms of residual degree of polarization. Close agreement between measurements and calculations provides a valuable validation o f the assumed linear dependency of the PDG differential gain with the degree of polarization of the light.