Method and device for stabilizing the state of polarization of a polarization multiplexed optical radiation

1. A method for stabilizing the state of polarization of polarization multiplexed optical radiation, said polarization multiplexed optical radiation comprising an identified channel which is provided with a pilot signal, comprising:

(a) providing to the polarization multiplexed optical radiation a first controllable polarization transformation to generate a first transformed optical radiation;

(b) measuring a first optical power of a first polarized portion of the first transformed optical radiation;

(c) controlling, responsively to said first optical power, the first controllable polarization transformation so that the first transformed optical radiation has a predefined polarization azimuth;

(d) providing to the first transformed optical radiation a second controllable polarization transformation to generate a second transformed optical radiation;

(e) measuring a second optical power of a second polarized portion of the second transformed optical radiation; and

(f) controlling, responsively to said second optical power, the second controllable polarization transformation so that the identified channel of the second transformed optical radiation has a predefined state of polarization.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first polarized portion of said identified channel of the first transformed optical radiation has a polarization azimuth at ±45° with respect to said predefined polarization azimuth.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second polarized portion of said identified channel of the second transformed optical radiation has a state of polarization parallel or perpendicular to said predefined state of polarization.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises measuring a modulation amplitude of said pilot signal.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein step (b) comprises extracting a power fraction from the first transformed optical radiation, polarizing said power fraction to generate a polarized power fraction, detecting said polarized power fraction and pass-band filtering said detected polarized power fraction to obtain said modulation amplitude.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (e) comprises measuring modulation amplitude of said pilot signal.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein step (e) comprises extracting a power fraction from the second transformed optical radiation, polarizing said power fraction to generate a polarized power fraction, detecting said polarized power fraction and pass-band filtering said detected polarized power fraction to obtain said modulation amplitude.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising measuring a third optical power of a third polarized portion of said identified channel of the first transformed optical radiation.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said third polarized portion of said identified channel of the first transformed optical radiation has the polarization azimuth orthogonal to the polarization azimuth of said first polarized portion.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first controllable polarization transformation is endlessly varying.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second controllable polarization transformation is endlessly varying.

12. A method of demultiplexing polarization multiplexed optical radiation, comprising the method of stabilizing the state of polarization of polarization multiplexed optical radiation, wherein said polarization multiplexed optical radiation comprises an identified channel which is provided with a pilot signal, according to claim 1 , and further comprising separating the identified channel in the second transformed optical radiation from a further channel orthogonally polarized to the identified channel.

13. A method of transmitting a polarization multiplexed optical signal comprising:

providing a pilot signal to an optical channel to generate an identified channel;

polarization multiplexing the identified channel with a further channel at a first location to generate polarization multiplexed optical radiation;

propagating said polarization multiplexed optical radiation at a second location different from the first location;

stabilizing the state of polarization of the polarization multiplexed optical radiation at the second location according to the method of claim 1 , to generate a polarization stabilized optical radiation;

separating the identified channel of the polarization stabilized optical radiation from the further channel; and

detecting at least one of said identified and further channel.

14. A device for stabilizing the state of polarization of polarization multiplexed optical radiation, said polarization multiplexed optical radiation comprising an identified channel which is provided with a pilot signal, comprising:

a first polarization transformer comprising a first birefringent element operable to provide a first variable polarization transformation to the polarization multiplexed optical radiation;

a first monitoring system responsive to said pilot signal and capable of measuring the optical power of a first polarized portion of the identified channel downstream the first polarization transformer;

a controller capable of controlling responsively to the optical power of said first polarized portion, said first variable polarization transformation so as to maintain the polarization azimuth of the identified channel downstream the first polarization transformer at a predefined azimuth;

a second polarization transformer positioned downstream the first polarization transformer and comprising a second birefringent element operable to provide a second variable polarization transformation to the polarization multiplexed optical radiation; and

a second monitoring system responsive to said pilot signal and capable of measuring the optical power of a second polarized portion of the identified channel downstream the second polarization transformer, the controller being further capable of controlling, responsively to the optical power of said second polarized portion, said second variable polarization transformation so as to maintain the state of polarization of the identified channel downstream the second polarization transformer at a defined state of polarization.

15. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 14 , wherein the first monitoring system is further capable of measuring the optical power of a further polarized portion of the identified channel downstream the first polarization transformer, wherein said further polarized portion is orthogonal to the first polarized portion.

16. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 14 , wherein the first polarization transformer further comprises a third birefringent element operable to provide a third variable polarization transformation to the polarization multiplexed optical radiation.

17. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to switch the third variable polarization transformation between first and second values when the first variable polarization transformation reaches a predefined threshold value.

18. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first birefringent element and the third birefringent element comprises a respective variable rotator and the first polarization transformer further comprises a quarter-wave plate optically interposed between the first and the third birefringent element.

19. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 16 , wherein the second polarization transformer further comprises a fourth birefringent element operable to provide a fourth variable polarization transformation to the polarization multiplexed optical radiation.

20. The polarization stabilizing device according to 19 , wherein the controller is configured to switch the fourth variable polarization transformation between third and fourth values when the second variable polarization transformation reaches a predefined threshold value.

21. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 14 , wherein the first monitoring system is configured to measure a modulation amplitude of said pilot signal so as to measure said optical power of said first polarized portion.

22. The polarization stabilizing device according to claim 21 , wherein the first monitoring system comprises a splitter for extracting a power portion of said polarization multiplexed optical radiation, a polarization splitter for extracting a polarized portion of said power portion, a photodiode for generating a signal from said polarized portion of said power portion and a demodulator for band-pass filtering said signal to obtain said modulation amplitude of said pilot signal.

23. An optical polarization demultiplexer comprising the polarization stabilizing device of claim 14 , and a polarization division demultiplexer located downstream the polarization stabilizing device and oriented parallel or perpendicular to said defined state of polarization.

24. A polarization division multiplexing system comprising:

a polarization transmitter capable of combining a first and a second optical channel having orthogonal polarization, wherein the first channel comprises a pilot signal;

a transmission line capable of transmitting said combined first and second optical channel; and

an optical polarization demultiplexer according to claim 23 , optically coupled to said transmission line and capable of separating said first and second optical channel.