Document #: GP-UM-PMD-1000-21
Page 6 of 122
Section 2. Overview:
General Photonics’ PMDPro™ is a breakthrough PMD source that can deterministically
generate precise 1
st
-order PMD up to 180 ps and 2
nd
-order PMD up to 8100 ps
2
. It
combines this basic functionality with a rapid switching time (~1 ms) and polarization
optimization capability to enable various applications related to high bit-rate optical fiber
communication links. PMDPro simplifies and expedites all PMD related systems testing.
Figure 1 System diagram of polarization optimized PMD source
The PMDPro contains an automatic polarization controller and two polarimeters that
continuously monitor the state of polarization (SOP) and degree of polarization (DOP)
before and after the PMD generating elements. The polarization controller can be
operated using feedback from the input polarimeter to automatically align and maintain
the input SOP such that there is an equal power split between polarization components
aligned to the principal axes of the DGD element to obtain the worst-case first order
PMD effect. Alternatively, the controller can automatically adjust and maintain the input
SOP using the feedback from the output polarimeter to either minimize or maximize the
output DOP for each PMD setting.
Minimizing the output DOP enables testing of the worst-case total PMD effect, while
maximizing the output DOP allows the PMDPro to act as a PMD compensator, allowing
the user to determine the optimum PMD values for PMD compensation. The PMDPro
can also perform PMD emulation by generating statistical distributions of first and
second order PMD representing those of a real fiber link. In addition, the integrated
polarization controller and polarimeters enable variable rate scrambling and deterministic
polarization control functions, including trace generation and polarization stabilization at
any SOP.
Basic functions can be controlled either manually from the front panel keypad or
remotely via RS-232, USB, Ethernet, or GPIB interfaces. The control program also
enables several advanced functions.
The structure, features, and functions of the PMDPro are described in more detail in
sections 3 and 4. Section 5 includes application examples, and section 6 describes basic
troubleshooting.
DSP
Polarimeter2
Polarimeter1
PC
1
st
& 2
nd
order PMD Generator
Interfacing electronics
Input
Output