Polarization Division Multiplexed Optical Transmission Systems

Recently, polarization-division multiplexing has emerged as an effective technology to increase the capacity and spectral efficiency of optical communication systems, mainly due to the demand for high capacity fiber-optic transmission and the advances in optical digital coherent detection techniques. With coherent detection, polarization demultiplexing can be realized in the electronic domain by high speed digital signal processing techniques. Polarization-division-multiplexed signals can also be detected with direct detection, in which polarization demultiplexing is usually done in the optical domain.

Polarization-division multiplexing brings new challenges for fiber-optic transmission systems. The addition of one more polarization causes new fiber nonlinear effects, such as cross-phase modulation (XPM) between two polarization components and nonlinear polarization rotations induced by inter-channel XPM, which could impact the design and performance of fiber-optic transmission systems. Polarization-mode dispersion (PMD), polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and polarization-dependent gain (PDG) have different impacts on polarization-division-multiplexed signals from single-polarization signals. To receive a polarization-division-multiplexed signal, reliable and efficient polarization demultiplexing techniques have to be provided at the receiver.

These challenges are now widely studied and discussed by many research groups around the world, in both industry and academia. The conference goal is to provide a platform for researchers to discuss and exchange their new research results and findings on this topic, to advance the development of this technology. The target audience will include private R&D sectors such as telecom carriers and vendors, universities, and national research institutes around the world. The following topics will be covered:

• Polarization-division-multiplexed transmission system design, modeling and experiments, including single-carrier coherent systems, optical coherent OFDM systems, and direct detection systems.
• Fiber nonlinearity effects and compensation in polarization-division-multiplexed transmission.
• Nonlinear polarization effects and mitigation in polarization-division-multiplexed transmission.
• Impact of PMD, PDL and PDG on polarization-division-multiplexed transmission systems.
• PMD and PDL compensation for polarization-division-multiplexed signals.
• System aspects of interaction between fiber nonlinearities and PMD.
• System aspects of dynamic polarization effects.
• Polarization demultiplexing techniques.
• DSP assisted impairment mitigation for polarization-division-multiplexed signals.
• Performance monitoring for polarization-division-multiplexed signals.
• Coding techniques for polarization-division-multiplexed systems.
• Real-time measurement of fast polarization rotation in field fiber.
• Analysis and measurement of dynamic polarization tracking in coherent and direct directed systems.