Polarization-maintaining fiber does not maintain polarization
Note: a polarization-maintaining fiber does not preserve any polarization state of injected light! It does so only for linearly polarized light, where the polarization direction must be one of two orthogonal directions, e. The light is then guided in two perpendicular principle states of polarization with different propagation constants – the fast and the slow axis. Imagine for a moment that this fiber is an ideal single-mode waveguide: there is no lateral stress (no external stress from cabling, placement, supports.
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