Novel method for the measurement of the wavelength-resolved high-resolution polarization state of optical signals and application to the monitoring of communication signals

We present a method for the characterization of the polarization state of the optical spectrum components of an optical signal with high resolution (80 fm). Polarization dependence of stimulated Brillouin scattering is used to obtain the projections of the high-resolution optical spectrum to a state determined by controlling the polarization state of the pump signal. Combining data from different polarizations we extract the wavelength-resolved optical polarization state of the signals. Applications of this measurement to the study of polarization effects in communication signals are also presented.