Polarization-maintaining fibers preserve a stable state of polarization over long propagation lengths and are ideal candidates for applications such as coherent communication, fiber devices and interconnection of guided wave devices. Connection technology for polarization-maintaining fibers is reviewed, design difficulties are examined, characterization techniques for these splices and connectors are analyzed. Reported results on individual polarization-maintaining fiber splices and connectors are described. In addition, linear arrays of polarization-maintaining fibers suitable for guided wave applications are reviewed. It is concluded that splices and connectors for polarization-maintaining fibers are being studied by many investigators; however, most of these techniques require active alignment of the polarization axes. Passive alignment appears feasible if a suitably accurate, external polarization-axis reference is designed into the fiber.

Date Published: 1 January 1987
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 0841, Fiber Optic Networks and Coherent Technology in Fiber Optic Systems II, (1 January 1987); doi: 10.1117/12.967611

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0841:
Fiber Optic Networks and Coherent Technology in Fiber Optic Systems II
John D. Chipman; Harish R. Sunak, Editor(s)