The PSY-201 is a deterministic polarization controller that can generate and maintain any state of polarization (SOP), regardless of the input SOP. It combines General Photonics’ patented polarization controller, in-line polarimeter, and control algorithm into an instrument that functions as both a polarization state generator and a polarization analyzer.
The generated SOP and the corresponding Poincaré Sphere representation can be displayed on a computer screen via USB interface.
The output SOP can be specified by inputting Stokes parameters using the front panel keypad or by manually tuning the SOP to reach a specific point
on the Poincaré sphere or to reach an optimum value of a polarization-dependent metric. Once a desired output SOP is found, the instrument can automatically maintain this SOP against input SOP fluctuations.
Another attractive feature is that the user can generate any of 6 distinct SOPs (0°, 90°, ± 45°, RHC and LHC) for Mueller matrix calculations, or select any of the 6 states at the touch of a button. Furthermore, the instrument can generate several preprogrammed SOP traces that emulate certain common polarization variations. The instrument can also function as a polarization scrambler, generating SOP scans with user-defined pattern and speed.
Finally, with the internal polarization controller disabled, PolaFlex™ can function as an in-line polarimeter, displaying the instantaneous SOP and DOP of the input light beam. Features include long-term SOP monitoring, SOP markers for angle measurement, and a "SOP replay" function in sphere display mode, as well as extended triggering capability in oscilloscope mode. It puts all of the tools necessary for polarization management at your fingertips.
Figure 1 : PSY-201 Polarization Synthesizer/Analyzer
Key Features
• 4 MHz SOP sampling rate
• 1 MHz analog bandwidth
• 45 dB input power dynamic range
• Real-time Poincaré Sphere display
• High-speed SOP generation and tracking
• High speed analog output of SOP & DOP
Applications
• Receiver polarization sensitivity analysis
• System SOP/DOP monitoring
• PER measurement
• Polarization generation and stabilization
• Sensor system characterization
• 100G system polarization characterization