Abstract

Fiber birefringence is of great importance in many aspects of optical communications and device technology. Previously various experimental techniques were proposed to measure high-birefringence fibers.¹ Recently a technique was suggested for measurements of low-birefringence fibers.² Two methods based on fiber twist were published.''⁴ In this paper we show a simple technique for birefringence measurements based on a fiber optics loop mirror (FOLM). We demonstrate birefringence measurements in fiber spans as short as 0.07 of a beat length.

© 2002 Optical Society of America