Strategies for fast control speed and DC drift avoidance in distributed LiNbO/sub 3/-based PMD compensators

Cascaded mode converters on a birefringent X-cut Y-propagation LiNbO/sub 3/ chip are ideal "distributed" polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) compensators. Here, we show how the number of needed control variables can be minimized to permit fastest PMD compensation. Furthermore, a strategy is laid out which allows us to apply zero-mean control voltages for avoidance of the dc drift effect.