Analysis and Reduction of Polarization Mode Dispersion in an Optical Fiber

Submitted to : Prof Sugumaran s Slot: B1 D N PREM (11BEC0527) D DINAKAR (11BEC0313) S SIVA SAI VAMSI (11BEC0376) T VENKATA SAI PAVAN (11BEC0463)

Abstract

In this project we deal with the effects and compensation of polarisation mode dispersion (PDM).

Polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is a form of modal dispersion where two different polarizations of light in a waveguide, which normally travel at the same speed, travel at different speeds due to random imperfections and asymmetries, causing random spreading of optical pulses.
It has found to be a considerable attention in high data rate systems , now a days. In general a small amount of PMD is to be considered in high data rate systems since it limits the data rate.

PMD is a time varying and unstable phenomenon.

In this project we analyse the PMD by varying the length and birefringence of the fiber and compensate the effect of PMD using optsim simulation for 10 and 40 giga bits per second(Gb/s) transmission systems. Here the compensation of PMD is done by optical compensation method called Deterministic Differential Group Delay (DDGD).

POLARISATION : Polarization, also called wave polarization, is an expression of the orientation of the lines of electric flux in an electromagnetic field ( EM field ). Polarization can be constant that is, existing in a particular orientation at all times, or it can rotate with each wave cycle. Polarizing angle or Brewster's angle: This angle is the angle of incidence where the reflected light is linearly polarized. Here's the equation:

MODE : Modes is a mathematical and physical concept describing the propagation of electromagnetic waves through media. In case of fiber, a mode is simply a path that a light ray can follow in travelling down a fiber. Modes are the possible solutions of the Helmholtz equation for waves, which is obtained by combining Maxwell's equations and the boundary conditions. Waves can have same mode but have different frequencies. There are two modes in optical fiber :1.single mode fiber
2. multimode fiber

A single-mode optical fiber (SMF) is an optical fiber designed to carry only a single ray of light (mode). Fibers that support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multimode fibers (MMF). In an optical fiber, the normalized frequency, V (also called the V number), is given by where a is the core radius, is the wavelength in vacuum, n1 is the maximum refractive index of the core, n2 is the refractive index of the homogeneous cladding.

In multimode operation of an optical fiber the approximate number of modes is given by

where g is the profile parameter, and

V is the normalized frequency, which must be greater than 5 for

the approximation to be valid.

Dispersion

Dispersion is the spreading of light pulse as it travels down the length of an optical fiber . Dispersion is the phenomenon in which the phase velocity of a wave depends on its frequency or alternatively when the group velocity depends on the frequency. Dispersion limits the bandwidth or information carrying capacity of a fiber. There are three main types of linear dispersion in a fiber: 1. Modal dispersion

2.Material dispersion
3. waveguide dispersion

Modal dispersion arises because rays follow different paths through the fiber
and consequently arrive at the other end of the fiber at different times. It occurs only in multimode fibers.

Material dispersion is a type of dispersion that occurs in the optical fiber due to the
interaction of various wavelengths with the physical matter in the crystalline structure of the glass. The refractive index of the glass varies according to the wavelength of the optical signal i.e. different wavelengths travel at different speeds in the medium.

Waveguide dispersion occurs because optical energy travels in both the core and
cladding, which have slightly different refractive indices. It occurs most significantly in single mode fiber.

There are two types of nonlinear dispersions in a fiber: 1. Polarisation mode dispersion 2.chromatic dispersion

Chromatic dispersion is caused by delay differences among the group velocities of

the different wavelengths composing the source spectrum. The consequence of the chromatic dispersion is a broadening of the transmitted impulses.

It is caused essentially due to Material and Waveguide dispersions.

Problem definition

Increase in PMD causes pulse broadening, inter symbol interference and severely degrades the system performance. The PMD of the fiber fluctuates with temperature and stress changes. It normally increases the bit error rate in long distance communication, since it is time varying.

Causes of PMD :
A. BIREFRINGENCE :

When the temperature increases, the refractive index varies randomly which results in varying speeds. Thus the refractive index will have a different value across the horizontal and vertical axis of the fiber core. This difference in the refractive index will result in two orthogonal states of polarization.

This will cause birefringence in which the light gets split up into fast axis (nx) and slow axis (ny), when a ray of light enters a fiber. This phenomenon is also known as double refraction.

B. DIFFERENTIAL GROUP DELAY :

The DGD is the difference in propagation times between the two polarization states. This differential time delay between the propagation modes is called as first order PMD. This delay depends on the frequency and varies over the bandwidth. This will cause further pulse spreading resulting in second order PMD. Further increase in PMD over long distance transmission and high data rate transmission systems, higher order PMD will occur which limits the data rate.

PROPOSED METHOD :Deterministic Differential Group Delay (DDGD)

This method is based on concept of splitting up of the optical signals into fast and slow polarization components. Here the input optical signal gets split up into two branches and sent to the two polarisers POL1 and POL2. These two polarisers are complementary to each other. An optical delay element is inserted to POL1 whereas the signal exiting from POL2 is not delayed and set to the value orthogonal to POL1. Finally the two signals are summed up. As a result the two components experience a differential delay. Since the delay set up is deterministic, it is called as Deterministic Differential Group Delay (DDGD).

PMD compensation after DDGD :

Works to be done :

Implementation of problem using OPTSIM. Analysing the effects of PMD for different data rates Compensation using DDGD and comparing results

References:

Indian Journal of Science and Technology-Supplementary Article on Analysis of Polarization Mode Dispersion in Fibers and its Mitigation using an Optical Compensation Technique.