082-0105-00-A Kontron Backplane Board

The Agilent 8509B lightwave polarization analyzer offers highspeed, calibrated polarization measurements of both optical signals and components. These capabilities are provided by innovations in hardware, software, and applications of Jones matrix and Stokes vector mathematics.

The Agilent 8509B analyzer facilitates a greater understanding of the polarization properties of lightwave signals and materials in helping to develop higher performance light-wave components and systems, as well as more effective test and manufacturing processes. These developments involve many types of polarization-sensitive devices which are used in communications, sensors, optical computing and material analysis; devices such as single-mode fibers, polarization-maintaining fibers, isolators, optical switches, lasers, beamsplitters, modulators, interferometers, retardation plates and, of course, polarizers and polarization adjusters.

Polarization characteristics affect all lightwave transmissions. The polarization of a lightwave signal is defined by its E-field components. As a signal propagates, interaction with optical components and other lightwave signals (in interferometric applications) modifies the magnitude and phase of the signal's E-field components. Polarization-dependent loss, gain or even signal distortion may occur depending on the application.