An algorithm capable of finding the input and output states of polarization for maximum pulse narrowing at the output of an optical fiber with polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is analytically presented and numerically solved. It is always possible to obtain output pulses which are narrower than the input pulses when PMD is compensated by controlling both the input polarization as well as the receiver polarization states. This anomalous effect was shown to be exclusively due to PMD as no chromatic dispersion or polarization dependent losses were assumed. We report the detailed study for the cases in which the fiber consists of two, three and five hundred segments of highly-birefringent (Hi-Bi) fiber. The solution shows the existence of two orthogonal input and output states of polarization (different from those introduced by Poole et. al.) under which the integrity of the pulse is preserved and the pulsewidth at the output is the narrowest possible. The cost to be paid for this improvement is a reduction of the optical power in the output pulse.
Polarization mode dispersion, pulse narrowing, states of polarization
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