Patent ID: 7873286

Claim:
An optical receiver system, comprising: a polarization demultiplexing and polarization mode dispersion mitigation section, comprising: a polarization controller connected to a first birefringent element; the first birefringent element connected to a first single-stage waveplate; and a control processor configured to control the polarization controller and the first single-stage waveplate responsive to a feedback signal; a first polarization beam splitter receiving an output from the polarization demultiplexing and polarization mode dispersion mitigation section; and a demodulator, comprising: a second birefringent element receiving a first polarization from the first polarization beam splitter; a second polarization beam splitter connected to the second birefringent element; a first set of photo-detectors receiving outputs from the second polarization beam splitter; a third birefringent element receiving a second polarization from the first polarization beam splitter; a third polarization beam splitter connected to the third birefringent element; and a second set of photo-detectors receiving the outputs from third polarization beam splitter.