Polarization switching for distributed transverse stress sensing in optical fibers using the optical Kerr effect

A polarization diversity detection system for distributed sensing of polarization mode coupling in high birefringence fibers has been implemented using a pump-probe architecture based on the optical Kerr effect. The system is capable of locating disturbance points along a length of fiber, for arbitrary probe polarization states. The system is shown to overcome signal-fading problems due to phase bias drift of the probe caused by temperature variations in the fiber.