Optical Polarization Control

Optical polarization control instruments and modules from Luna Innovations (the former General Photonics product line) let you generate, stabilize, scramble and analyze the state of polarization (SOP) of light in a fiber-optic path. The portfolio includes multifunction polarization controllers (MPX 2010), the PSY-201 polarization synthesizer, the PCD-104 scrambler and the POS-202/POS-203 stabilizers — from laboratory versions to OEM modules.

Applications

Polarization-sensitivity testing of coherent receivers and WDM components
PDL and PMD measurements using polarization scrambling/averaging
Depolarization of light sources (lowering DOP) in amplifier and fiber-optic sensor testing
SOP stabilization in interferometric setups and sensing systems
PER and polarization control on photonic component production lines

Key parameters

Parameter	Value
Parameter	Value
Scrambling (multifunction controllers)	discrete random SOP states up to 20,000 points/s; Tornado mode up to 2000 rev/s
PSY-201 synthesizer	generation and hold of any SOP independent of input polarization; settling time approx. 1 ms; built-in polarimeter (SOP/DOP measurement)
PCD-104 scrambler	output DOP < 5% (averaging ≥ 2 ms); insertion loss < 0.6 dB (with connectors)
PDL	≤ 0.05 dB (typical, without connectors)
Wavelength ranges	typically 1260–1620 nm (telecom bands); 980–1310 nm versions available
Interfaces	depending on model: RS-232, Ethernet, GPIB, analog outputs, PolaView software (Poincaré sphere)

How to choose a device

For fast, statistical polarization “mixing” in component testing, a scrambler (PCD-104) is sufficient. When you need to set and maintain a specific state of polarization — for example in interferometry or PER measurements — the right choice is the PSY-201 synthesizer with a feedback loop and built-in polarimeter. The multifunction controllers (MPX 2010) combine scrambling, SOP modulation and manual control in a single instrument, making them a versatile laboratory tool.

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