Analysis of short-term polarization stability using Allan variance.

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Signal Processing
• Statistical Analysis

Background:

• Optical signals are susceptible to stochastic polarization fluctuations.
• Characterizing polarization stability is crucial for optical system performance.
• Traditional methods for noise analysis often rely on heuristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of Allan variance for characterizing optical signal stability.
• To identify underlying power law noise processes affecting polarization.
• To demonstrate Allan variance's utility in optimizing polarization-sensitive optical systems.

Main Methods:

• Application of Allan variance to analyze optical signals with polarization fluctuations.
• Investigation of power law noise processes.
• Experimental analysis of three Stokes parameters in the Brownian-noise regime.

Main Results:

• Allan variance facilitates comparison of polarization stability and identifies noise trends.
• White noise and random walk terms were observed in stable polarization conditions.
• Stokes parameters can exhibit distinct statistical behaviors under Brownian noise.

Conclusions:

• Allan variance provides a systematic approach for real-time denoising strategies.
• It enables optimization of polarization-sensitive optical systems beyond conventional methods.
• This technique enhances the understanding and management of polarization noise.