Polarization Mode Dispersion Analysis on Wireless Optical Link

Abstract

Wireless optical communication solutions have quickly emerged the market. They are actually considered as potential alternative to fiber optic solutions that are currently the most claimed technologies in terms of data rate. The main issue for this technology besides providing low cost and high data rate link service is to ensure continuity and quality on the provided link. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to investigate the factors that could disturb the link. In this paper, PMD (Polarization Mode Dispersion) in FSO has been investigated. PMD is induced from a delay between propagation modes, using polarization sheets we might seclude one of the propagation modes and avoid dispersion. Two different approaches have been considered: the received power depending on the polarization angle and the average data rate according to vertical or horizontal propagation. Based on experimental tests, PMD and its impacts on transmission delay have been evaluated.