Polarization mode dispersion in single-mode optical fibers: time impulse response

Polarization mode dispersion (PMD) induced by random birefringence into single-mode optical fibers can be the dominant source of pulse distortion in high bit-rate transmission systems, when the chromatic dispersion is compensated. Up to now only second order PMD approximations have been studied. In this paper the PMD time impulse response is given, accounting for all-order frequency variation of the differential group delay (DGD) and of the principal states of polarizations (PSP). A detailed analysis of all the principal PMD coefficients is presented, including for the first time the second order PSP rotation terms, whose effects cannot be neglected in a correct output envelope analysis.