Abstract

We studied both theoretically and experimentally the Kerr-induced polarization changes of a cw wave that propagates through a single-mode bire-fringent fiber together with an amplitude modulated wave. The polarization changes were determined as a function of the angle ϕ between the polarizations of the two input waves and their frequency separation Δf. For example, for a fiber of 300-m length, λ = 514 nm, an input power of the 5-mW modulated wave and Δf = 80 MHz, we found strong polarization fluctuations that are maximum at ϕ = π/4 rad and minimum at ϕ = 0 or π rad. Additional results and their implications concerning coherent communication with frequency division multiplexing are presented.

© 1988 Optical Society of America