scope:

Intent

This Standard specifies a method of measuring the polarization crosstalk of single mode, highly linearly-birefringent (commonly called polarization-maintaining or PM) optical fiber and components. This Standard is applicable to fibers and components having connectors attached to one or both ends, and to two or more such entities joined in series. This Standard may also have application to other devices constructed from polarization-maintaining fibers and/or components. Hereafter both PM fibers and PM components will be referred to as specimens.

In the case of fiber, if the ends do not have connectors the crosstalk tends to be proportional to fiber length. In such cases the proportionality constant, commonly referred to as the "h-parameter," is another measure of performance. The test method for measuring the h-parameter is the subject of FOTP-192.

In theory, if perfectly linearly polarized light is launched into a Specimen with its plane of polarization exactly aligned to either of the device's principal axes, then the light radiated at the distal end will also be perfectly polarized. In practice, some light may be coupled to the not-launched polarization by the Specimen or by connectors attached to its ends, so that at the distal end a small, unintended, component is present. This Standard describes a test method for measuring this imperfection.