Optimization and stabilization of visibility in interferometric fiber-optic sensors using input-polarization control

The effects of input polarization on the output fringe visibility of two-beam interferometric fiber-optic sensors are investigated, and an analysis which predicts the existence of input states of polarization of eigenmodes of the interferometer for which optimum output visibility is obtained is presented. Experimental results obtained using both a bulk-optic and a fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer are reported that verify this analysis. Active feedback stabilization of the output fringe visibility of an interferometric sensor using automatic input-polarization control is demonstrated.<
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