Polarization allocation schemes for minimizing fiber four-wave mixing crosstalk in wavelength division multiplexed optical communication systems

Fiber four-wave mixing (FWM) crosstalk can severely limit system performance in multichannel optical communication systems. We present a simple technique that exploits the polarization dependence of fiber (FWM) crosstalk generation in order to reduce FWM crosstalk levels in such systems. By allocating the polarization states of the channels optimally in relation tea each other, the FWM crosstalk at the channel wavelengths earn be reduced significantly compared to simple alternate polarization allocation schemes. The principle has been demonstrated experimentally in a dense WDM optical communication system.