Time domain PMD simulations in optical fibers and emulators

Abstract

A simulation tool for the calculation of the statistics and correlations of PMD-related variables is presented. Calculations are performed in time domain, allowing the simulation of the temporal evolution of differential group delay (DGD), principal states of polarization, (PSP) output polarization state (SOP) among others. Results are in good agreement with predictions from spectral calculations and experimental results. Correlations between neighboring channels in a 100 GHz spaced WDM transmission falls down rapidly for PMD values above 4 ps. Index Terms -Polarization mode dispersion (PMD), autocorrelation, principal states of polarization (PSP), wavelength division multiplex.