Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for measuring a changing amount of insertion loss of an optical device depending on a polarization state of an incident light, i.e., a polarization-dependent loss. An incident light that is periodically subject to all polarization states passes through a testing optical device by a polarization scrambler including a piezoelectric element type optical fiber birefringence modulator, and an optical detector measures intensity of the passing light, in which the measured intensity values are averaged for birefringence modulation having a constant period, and then the polarization-dependent loss is computed from a ratio of maximum power to minimum power for the period. Use of the birefringence modulator shortens measuring time, and decreases an affect of external disturbance to the incident light that is incident into the testing optical component or occurrence probability of the external disturbance, so that the polarization-dependent loss can be precisely measured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber having a normalized frequency applicable to a broadband optical device, and to a broadband, polarization-independent, low-loss optical fiber device made by using the aforementioned optical fiber. The optical fiber of the present invention has a normalized frequency value V, structural parameters of which including a core radius, a core refractive index and a cladding refractive index are adjusted to minimize the beat dispersion between first and second modes in a predetermined frequency range. Various optical fiber devices may be achieved if the aforementioned optical fiber is used along with acoustic wave generating means and a mode dropper or a mode selective coupler.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for measuring a changing amount of insertion loss of an optical device depending on a polarization state of an incident light, i.e., a polarization-dependent loss. An incident light that is periodically subject to all polarization states passes through a testing optical device by a polarization scrambler including a piezoelectric element type optical fiber birefringence modulator, and an optical detector measures intensity of the passing light, in which the measured intensity values are averaged for birefringence modulation having a constant period, and then the polarization-dependent loss is computed from a ratio of maximum power to minimum power for the period. Use of the birefringence modulator shortens measuring time, and decreases an affect of external disturbance to the incident light that is incident into the testing optical component or occurrence probability of the external disturbance, so that the polarization-dependent loss can be precisely measured.

Abstract: An optical fiber polarization scrambler decreasing the degree of polarization (DOP) of light efficiently using at least two optical fiber birefringence modulators (10, 11) and an operating parameter input method for the same. Birefringence modulators are constructed with hollow cylindrical piezo devices (10, 11) and a strand of optical fiber (30) wound continuously on the outer walls of the piezo devices (10, 11). An angle between the birefringence modulators consisting of the optical fiber polarization scrambler is configured to compensate the effect of circular birefringence. A method for exactly configuring birefringence modulation frequency and birefringence modulation amplitude to achieve effective polarization scrambling for the optical fiber polarization scrambler is also provided.

Abstract: An optical fiber polarization controller which has compact size by employing wave plates made of short sections of a first optical fiber having inherent birefringence such as a polarization maintaining optical fiber. In the control of the polarization state of input light, a second optical fiber, for example a single mode fiber, connected to the first optical fiber is twisted using fixing knobs, thereby rotating the birefringence axis of the first optical fiber with respect to the second optical fiber.