Abstract

Single-mode fibres with controlled polarisation properties are required for many fibre applications. For example, high-birefringence fibres are able to transmit linearly-polarised light, a property which is useful in interferometric fibre sensors and in coherent transmission systems. Low-birefringence fibres, on the other hand, have negligible intrinsic birefringence and are suited to conventional communications, polarisation-control devices and polarimetric sensors.