Abstract

A theory concerning the degree of polarization in anisotropic single-mode fibers has been developed that takes into account random mode conversion along the fiber. This mode-conversion effect is treated statistically by using an autocorrelation function and the mean square of the random perturbation. The degree of polarization is given explicitly in terms of the incident-polarization condition, the degree of coherence, the fiber parameters, the mode-coupling coefficients, and the randomness statistical parameters. This degree of polarization is degraded, even for eigenpolarization excitation, if mode conversion takes place randomly. When random mode conversion is present, the degree of polarization takes on a nonzero value for any fiber position and for any incident-polarization condition. Moreover, a numerical calculation reveals that a twisted optical fiber shows a higher degree of polarization than a linearly birefringent fiber when typical fiber parameter values are prescribed for the respective fibers. The theory presented here explains the experimental data well.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Degree of polarization including the random-mode-conversion effect in anisotropic single-mode optical fibers: errata

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