SBIR-STTR Award

Coherent optical detection offers the potential to substantially increase the capabilities of existing long-haul and local area fiberoptic networks. However, random drift of the signal polarization presents the major obstacle to this method of detection. The objective of this program is to develop a polarization controller that will compensate for this polarization drift enabling the use of coherent detection. Researchers will investigate the use of liquid crystals to accomplish this means. This approach will be comparatively much less expensive and easier to implement than other methods that are currently under research.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: This program will develop a polarization controller that compensates for polarization drift in fiber-optic systems such as coherent receivers or fiber-optic sensors.

Polarization control, coherent communications, liquid crystals coherent optical detection offers the potential to substantially increase the capabilities of existing long-haul and local area fiber-optic networks. However, random drift of the signal polarization presents the major obstacle to this method of detection. The objective of this proposed program is to develop a polarization controller that will compensate for this polarization drift enabling the use of coherent detection. We will research the use of liquid crystals to accomplish this means. This approach will be comparatively much less expensive and easier to implement that other methods that are currently under research.