Polarization Mode Dispersion

Polarization Mode Dispersion
Its meaning and impact on high data rate transmission
Thiam Boon Kwee, Christopher

FiberOpto Asia Pte Ltd
Outline
What is PMD ?
Fiber PMD Specification
PMD Specification on a Transmission Link
How to Mitigate PMD Penalty
What is PMD ?
Single mode transmission actually consists of two orthogonal polarization states (or
modes) traversing down the fiber (known as Principle State of Polarization , or PSP)
DGD
PSP
PSP
Delay between two orthogonal states of polarization is DGD

DGD = Differential Group Delay
Causes of PMD
Polarized state (or mode) in axis A is
different from that in axis B
A
Birefringence
B
Present because of asymetry of fiber

core
Bend
Stress
Lateral stress
Twist
Differential Group Delay (DGD) and PMD

time
DGD is not deterministic, and varies wildly with wavelengths and time
DGD
PMD is RMS time average of DGD

PMD
DGD (ps)
Wavelength (nm)
From experiments, statistical variation of DGD over wide wavelengths is a short time is equivalent to the
statistical variation at a given wavelength over a long period of time
RMS ( DGD ) = 3 8 DGD
DGD follows Maxwellian Distribution, so does PMD

frequency
PMD (in ps/km)
DGD (in ps)
DGD (ps)
DGD of a Fiber Link is also Maxwellian

Concatenated link DGD distribution is also Maxwellian
Characterized by PMDLink
Related to individual PMD elements
PMD1
PMD2
PMDN-1
PMDN
PMDLink
PMDLink =
1
1/ 2
Link
PMD12 L1 + PMD22 L2 + K + PMDN2 LN
1
2
How is PMD of Optical Fiber Specified ?
Extract from Cornings SMF-28e+ Fiber Specification Sheet
9 / 39
Maximum Individual Fiber PMD Specification:

PMDmax
This is the maximum PMD for individual fibers
manufactured
100% fiber have PMD values < PMDmax
Frequency
Fiber PMD value Histogram

for manufactured fiber
PMDmax
PMD
Very Conservative
Why using PMDmax for network design is overly

conservative ?
Actual fiber PMD values hardly come close to PMDmax value
o Actual PMD measured is always around the average RMS value
PMDmax value is measured based on individual continuous length

of fiber
o In real life network, link is always made up of different segments of fiber
spliced or jointed together
o Thus, PMD of a link (PMD link value) is averaged down through multiple
individual segments of fiber PMD
PMDmax tells you nothing about the statistical distribution of the

PMD values
o Different fiber PMD distributions can give same PMDmax value
Frequency
Good and Bad Fiber PMD Distributions can give

same PMDmax
Good Fiber PMD
Distribution
PMDmax
Frequency
PMD
Same PMDmax value
PMDmax
Bad Fiber PMD

Distribution
Thus, PMD Link Design Value

Definition according to IEC 60794-3:2001 Section 5.5, Method 1
PMD Link Design Value (PMDQ) is the PMD of a concatenated link of

M segments of 20km individual fibers (thus 400km reference link) ,
based on a Q% upper confident statistical level
Normally M = 20 segment and Q = 0.01 %
13 / 39
Histogram of individual
Fiber PMD
Fiber PMD
Frequency
Frequency
M = 20 Segments, Q = 0.01%, PMDQ
PMDQ
99.99%
0.01%
Link
Link
PMD
sample size >
20 sections
PMD
100,000
Define PMDQ (Link Design Value) as an upper-bound so that
less than 0.01% of Monte-Carlo distributions - using M
random concatenated section - exceed PMD > PMDQ
14 / 39
PMD Link Design Value (PMDQ) Is A Better

Estimate Of Concatenated Link PMD
PMDmax is an overly conservative estimate of the PMD of
a link consisting of concatenated fibers
Frequency
Smaller PMDQ value corresponds to a tighter manufacturing

distribution
Individual Fiber PMD
Distribution
PMDQ
Concatenated Fiber link PMD

Distribution ( Monte Carlo)
(99.99% upper limit)
PMDmax
PMD link value has lesser variation compared to PMD individual
PMD
Properties of a Maxwellian Distribution

P(x)
P(x) =
P(DGD > DGDmax) = 4 x 10-5

DGDave
DGDmax = 3 x DGDave
DGDmax
3 is the Maxwellian Adjustment Factor, can be up to 3.78 to

adjust for other components PMD and probability
PMD Tolerance for High Bit Rate Transmission

DGDmax should be less than 30% of the bit period of transmission
(for equal mode splitting between two Principle States of Polarization PSPs)
DGDave is therefore specified as 10% of bit period

Bit rate
Measurement of PMD give rise to DGDave
Bit period
DGDave
allowed
2.5 Gbps
400 ps
40 ps
10 Gbps
100 ps
10 ps
40 Gbps
25 ps
2.5 ps
According to ITU FO211-98-01-TD12
ITU-T G.652 A, B, C, D Specifications, major

difference is in PMD specifications
Specs
G.652.A
G.652.B
G.652.C
G.652.D
Attenuation
@1310nm
0.4 dB/km
0.4 dB/km
0.4 dB/km
0.4 dB/km
Attenuation
@1383nm
Not specified
Not specified
Less than
attenuation at
1310nm
Less than
attenuation at
1310nm
Attenuation
@1550nm
0.3 dB/km
0.3 dB/km
0.3 dB/km
0.3 dB/km
Max PMDQ
(M=20, Q=0.01%)
0.5 ps/km
0.2 ps/km
0.5 ps/km
0.2 ps/km

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Its meaning and impact on high data rate transmission

Thiam Boon Kwee, Christopher

Delay between two orthogonal states of polarization is DGD

Present because of asymetry of fiber

Differential Group Delay (DGD) and PMD

PMD is RMS time average of DGD

RMS ( DGD ) = 3 8 DGD

DGD follows Maxwellian Distribution, so does PMD

PMD (in ps/km)

DGD (in ps)

DGD of a Fiber Link is also Maxwellian

PMD12 L1 + PMD22 L2 + K + PMDN2 LN

How is PMD of Optical Fiber Specified ?

Extract from Cornings SMF-28e+ Fiber Specification Sheet

Maximum Individual Fiber PMD Specification:

Fiber PMD value Histogram

Why using PMDmax for network design is overly

PMDmax value is measured based on individual continuous length

PMDmax tells you nothing about the statistical distribution of the

Good and Bad Fiber PMD Distributions can give

Bad Fiber PMD

Thus, PMD Link Design Value

PMD Link Design Value (PMDQ) is the PMD of a concatenated link of

Normally M = 20 segment and Q = 0.01 %

M = 20 Segments, Q = 0.01%, PMDQ

PMD Link Design Value (PMDQ) Is A Better

Smaller PMDQ value corresponds to a tighter manufacturing

Concatenated Fiber link PMD

(99.99% upper limit)

PMD link value has lesser variation compared to PMD individual

Properties of a Maxwellian Distribution

P(DGD > DGDmax) = 4 x 10-5

3 is the Maxwellian Adjustment Factor, can be up to 3.78 to

PMD Tolerance for High Bit Rate Transmission

DGDave is therefore specified as 10% of bit period

Measurement of PMD give rise to DGDave

According to ITU FO211-98-01-TD12

ITU-T G.652 A, B, C, D Specifications, major

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