Agilent 8169A
Polarization Controller
Technical Specifications
Agilent’s 8169A Polarization controller enables
automatic polarization state adjustments for
measurements of polarization dependent loss
(PDL) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD),
and for polarization synthesis applications.
Introduction
Developing and manufacturing competitive, highvalue components and systems for today's optical
industries require precise attention to polarization
sensitivity. The Agilent 8169A Polarization
Controller can help by saving time, money and
effort when measuring and working with
polarization sensitive devices.
Polarization sensitive devices include EDFAs,
single-mode fiber, and polarization maintaining
fiber, isolators, switches, lasers, couplers,
modulators, interferometers, retardation plates
and polarizers. Device performance will be
affected by polarization dependent efficiency, loss,
gain and polarization mode dispersion.
These polarization phenomena enhance or
degrade performance depending on the application
area, whether it is communications, sensors,
optical computing or material analysis.
Lightwave
Source
Agilent 81600B
Polarization
Controller
Agilent 8169A Agilent 81634B
Figure 1: Conceptual block diagram of polarization measurements.
An Important Part of a
Measurement System
A polarization controller is an important building
block of an optical test system because it enables
the creation of all possible states of polarization.
The polarized signal stimulates the test device
while the measurement system receiver monitors
the test device's responses to changing
polarization.
Sometimes polarization must be adjusted without
changing the optical power. At other times,
polarization must be precisely synthesized to one
state of polarization (SOP) and then adjusted to
another SOP according to a predetermined path.
Each of these needs is met separately using the
Agilent 8169A Polarization Controllers (refer to
Table 1 for application details).
Test Device
Optical Receiver
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The Agilent 8169A Polarization
put
put
Controller
The Agilent 8169A provides polarization synthesis
relative to a built-in linear polarizer. The quarterwave plate and half-wave plate are individually
adjusted to create all possible states of
polarization. Pre-deterministic algorithms within
the Agilent 8169A enable the transition path from
one state of polarization on the Poincare
to another to be specified along orthogonal great
circles. These features are important because
device response data can be correlated to specific
states of polarization input to the test device.
PDL measurement of DWDM components using
Mueller method is one of the main applications.
The Mueller method stimulates the test path with
four precisely known states. Precise measurement
of the corresponding output intensities allows
calculation of the upper row of the Mueller matrix,
from which PDL is in turn calculated. This method
is fast, and ideal for swept wavelength testing of
PDL.
1
sphere
Figure 2: Orthogonal circles on the Poincare
1
show how the Agilent 8169A synthesizes
sphere
relative state-of-polarization points according to a
specified path.
Linear λ/4 λ /2
Polarizer plate plate
Optical
In
Optical
Out
Figure 3: Agilent 8169A block diagram
_______
1
The Poincare Sphere is a three-dimensional
graphing system for viewing all possible states of
polarization.
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To Match Your Application
Requirements
Ease of Use, Flexibility and Speed
Four adjustment techniques enhance the ease of
use, flexibility and speed of the Agilent 8169A.
• Precise manual adjustments are made while
watching the front-panel display and adjusting
the front panel knobs.
• Nine Save/Recall registers enable random and
rapid SOP hopping between nine different,
user-set states of polarization.
• Autoscanning continuously sweeps over all
states of polarization, tuning the SOP across
the entire Poincare sphere. Multiple
polarization scan rates are available to match
the speed of the application; be it a fivesecond, single-wave PDL measurement or a
three-minute, wavelength-scanning PDL
measurement.
• Autoscanning rates are also fast enough to
produce polarization scrambling for some
applications.
Remote interrogation of all instrument settings
and remote control of all adjustment procedures
are provided via GPIB.
General-Purpose Polarization Controller
For a Wide Range of Applications
The Agilent 8169A Polarization Controller offers
general-purpose performance for a variety of
applications:
• Polarization synthesis
• Complete and automatically stepped
adjustments of polarization over the entire
Poincare sphere
• Swept wavelength polarization-dependent loss
measurement (Mueller method)
• Fixed-wavelength “min-max” PDL
measurements
• Polarization-dependent gain measurements for
EDFA
• Polarization sensitivity measurements
• Optical waveguide TE/TM mode testing
• Polarization adjustment of optical launch
conditions for polarization mode dispersion
measurements
Measurement systems are created by combining
the Agilent 8169A with other Agilent instruments.
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Specifications
Specifications describe the instruments’ warranted performance over the 0° C to + 55° C temperature range
after a one-hour warm-up period. Characteristics provide information about non-warranted instrument
performance. Specifications are given in normal type. Characteristics are stated in italicized type. Spliced fiber
pigtail interfaces are assumed for all cases except where stated otherwise.
Description Agilent 8169A
Operating Wavelength Range
Insertion loss
1. 2
Variation over 1 full rotation
Variation over complete wavelength range
Polarization Extinction Ratio 3
Characteristic
Polarization Adjustment
Resolution
Fast axis alignment accuracy at home position
Angular adjustment accuracy: minimum step size
Greater than minimum step size
3
4
4.5
Settling time (characteristic)
Memory Save /recall registers
Angular repeatability after Save/Recall
Number of scan rate settings
Maximum rotation rate
5
4.5
Maximum Operating Power Limitation
Operating Port Return Loss (characteristic):
Individual reflections
Power requirements
48 Hz to 60 Hz, 100/120/220/240 V rms
Weight:
Dimensions: (H x W x D) 10 cm x 42.6 cm x 44.5 cm (3.9 in 16.8 in x 17.5 in)
1
Guaranteed over a wavelength range from 1470 nm to 1570 nm; characteristic for a wavelength range from 1400 nm to 1640 nm
2
Only with 8169A #020 option
3
Extinction ration only refers to polarized portion of the optical signal
4
Guaranteed by design (DAC reso lution)
5
Angles are mechanical rotation angles of the wave plates
Ordering Information
Agilent 8169A Lightwave Polarization Controller
Connector Options
8169A #020 Pigtailed fiber ports
8169A #021 Straight contact connectors
8169A #022 Angled contact connectors
1
Two Agilent 81000xI-series connector interfaces are required for options 021 and 022.
(One of the following is required)
1
1
1400 nm to 1640 nm
< 1.5 dB
≤ ± 0.03dB
2
≤ ± 0.1 dB
> 45 dB (1530 nm to 1560 nm)
> 40dB (1470 nm to 1570 nm)
> 30dB (1400 nm to 1640 nm)
0.18º (360/2048 encoder positions)
± 0.2º
± 0.09º
≤ ± 0.5º
< 200 ms
9
± 0.09º
2
3600 /sec
+ 23 dBm
> 60 dB
45 VA max
9 kg (20 lbs)
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Online assistance:
www.agilent.com/comms/lightwave
Phone or Fax
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(tel) 1 800 829 4444
(fax) 1 800 829 4433
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(tel) 1 877 894 44 14
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Product specifications and descriptions in this document subject to change without notice.
Copyright © 2004 Agilent Technologies
Decembe r 23, 2004
5988-5659EN
For related literature, please visit:
www.agilent.com/comms/octcondition
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