| 摘要 |
An apparatus and method for compensating for polarization mode dispersion (PMD) of an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber involves optical processing the signal to quantify the amount of PMD. A spectrum analyzer (28, 68), which preferably comprises a tapped delay line diffractive array, is employed to produce a diffraction pattern that is sampled to retrieve data about the optical power spectrum of the signal. A figure of merit based on the optical power spectrum is then used to control a polarization mode dispersion compensator (20, 24). This figure of merit may be based on the autocorrelation function of the optical signal or from the flatness of the intensity across the diffraction pattern. Signal processing of the diffraction pattern yields a value for the figure of merit that can be used to impart delay in the fast component of the optical signal with the polarization mode dispersion compensator (20, 24). |
