Patent ID: 11923898
Assignee: LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC H

Claim 15:
16. An optical apparatus for determining birefringence of a waveguide segment at a particular location along the waveguide, comprising:
a light source to couple light with a first polarization state into the waveguide and to couple light with a second polarization state into the waveguide, wherein the second polarization state is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization state;
optical detection circuitry configured to:
detect first polarization state back scatter reflections associated with the waveguide segment corresponding to a first set of polarization state values and generate first polarization state back scatter data associated with the first polarization state back scatter reflections, and
detect second polarization state back scatter reflections associated with the waveguide segment corresponding to a second set of polarization state values different from the first set of polarization state values and generate second polarization state back scatter data associated with the second polarization state back scatter reflections;
processing circuitry configured to:
determine a spectral response based on the first polarization state back scatter data and the second polarization state back scatter data;
compute a correlation based on the spectral response;
determine the birefringence of the waveguide segment at the particular location along the waveguide based on the correlation; and
use the determined birefringence to characterize the waveguide segment.