DEPOLARIZATION MEASUREMENTS OF LIGHT PROPAGATING THROUGH AN IMAGE FIBER

The degree of polarization of light propagating through an image fiber of high resolution is investigated experimentally. A random coupling between the linearly polarized modes arises in the weakly-guiding regi me of elementary fibers forming an image fiber, causing a speckle appe arance at its exit end. The state of polarization in the speckle patte rn can be determined by analyzing the statistical properties of the St okes parameters. The depolarization of light was measured for two imag e fibers with different resolutions, and the experimental results were in agreement with the theoretical ones.