Autocorrelation Technique Based on Measurement of Polarization Effects of Optical Pulses

摘要

Autocorrelation technique for measurement of width of optical short pulses based on polarization effects. The optical pulse is split into two orthogonal polarization states and these two replicas have a relative delay which depolarizes the pulse. By tuning the relative delay of the two replicas and measuring the degree-of-polarization (DOP) of the pulse or the induced polarimetric four-wave mixing (FWM) through nonlinear media, the pulse's temporal width can be accurately derived. The technique can be all-fiber-based, wavelength independent, cost effective, applicable to low optical power, and does not require significant optical alignment.