Definitions and measurements of polarization mode dispersion: interferometric versus fixed analyzer methods

We compare, from a theoretical and an experimental point of view, the interferometric and the fixed analyzer (also known as the wavelength scanning) techniques for measuring polarization mode dispersion. The information provided by both techniques is shown to be identical, up to a Fourier transform. This information is related to a natural definition of polarization mode delay, /spl Delta//spl tau/. For standard communication fibers, /spl Delta//spl tau/ is itself related to the mean delay between the principal polarization modes, /sub /spl omega//, by a simple numerical factor.<>