Calibration of a polarisation rotator, to launch defined polarisation states

Polarisation rotators are used to set defined launch polarisation states in systems designed to measure the polarisation properties of optical fibre and optical fibre components. In order to predictably set polarisation states the properties of the control elements must be well known. This paper describes the calibration of a polarisation rotator based on three rotating optical elements: a linear polariser, a quarter wave plate and a half wave plate. The calibrated polarisation rotator was used to reliably set polarisation states.