Explore the importance of the role of polarization maintaining cables in this guide by industry-leading fiber optics specialists at Fibermart.  

Understanding the Role of Polarization Maintaining Cable

When it comes to fiber optic patch cables, MPO/ MTP fiber cables and LC fiber patch cables are widely known. But there are also some special fiber patch cables, such as mode conditioning and polarization maintaining fiber patch cables.

Before we explore the concept of polarization maintaining fibers, seasoned professionals at Fibermart will walk you through the idea of polarized light and the role of polarization maintaining cable.

What is Polarized Light?

Light is an electromagnetic wave consisting of an oscillating magnetic and electrical field. However, light and its effects can also be defined as a magnetic field. When the waves of light vibrate in multiple directions, such as right-left and down-up, on different planes, it's known as unpolarized light. And when the waves vibrate in a single direction, such as down and up on a single plane, it's known as polarized light.

When normal fiber cables are twisted or bent, induced stress can change the polarization state of the light traveling through the fibers. When the fibers are subjected to external distresses, the final polarization output can vary with time. The same goes for shorter fiber lengths, which can be undesirable for various applications requiring a consistent polarization output from the fiber.

How to Polarization Maintaining Cables Help?

PM cables were developed to induce a difference in the speed of light for two perpendicular polarizations that travel through the optic fiber. These cables are based on but style high-precision technique. The orientation can be maintained using a bulkhead female receptacle with a secure tolerance keyway and male connectors with the positing key to ensure good repeatability in insertion losses and extinction ratios.  

The birefringence creates principal transmission axes within the optical fiber, formerly known as the slow and fast fiber axes. When the input light is orientated and polarized linearly along one of the two axes, the output light remains aligned and polarized with the axis linearly, even when it's subjected to external stress.

How well the fiber maintains the polarization primarily depends on the launch input conditions of the fiber. The alignment between the slow and polarization axis of the light and the fiber, respectively, is another important factor to consider.

Special optical fibers help achieve optical performance that's impacted by the polarization of the light passing through the fiber. Polarization maintaining fiber helps solve the problem of polarization-dependent losses from electro-optic modulators, fiber lasers, sensors, and interferometers that can affect system performance.

While standard single-mode optical fiber carries randomly polarized light, polarization-maintaining cables are designed to proliferate only a single polarization of the input light. These cables are widely used in polarization-sensitive fiber optic systems for light transmission, requiring the polarization-maintaining state to be upheld.

You can order polarization-maintaining fiber optic cables and many other cutting-edge solutions from Fibermart. Our premium quality fiber optic solutions meet and exceed all compliance and industry standards.

Call (205)-282-9089 to speak to our industry experts if you want to discuss the role of polarization-maintaining cable, or fill out the form if you want more information regarding our OEM and other range of exclusively customized products.