Distributed Polarization Crosstalk Analyzer

The PXA-1000 is based on an enhanced white light interferometer whose design eliminates the strong zero-order interference and reduces the multi-coupling interference common in traditional white light interferometers, both of which can cause “ghost” peaks in the measured signal. The removal of the “ghost” peaks enables the PXA-1000 to unambiguously identify the magnitudes and locations of actual crosstalk peaks, resulting in higher measurement sensitivity, higher dynamic range, and higher spatial measurement accuracy.

It measures space-resolved stress in polarization maintaining (PM) fiber by analyzing stress- induced polarization crosstalk, enabling the location of imperfections or areas of local stress inside PM fiber coils, including any stress from the winding process.

In Y-branch waveguides, it can characterize the alignment of pigtail fibers, as well as contributions to the polarization extinction ratio (PER) from features inside the waveguide.