User`s guide

Performance Test Instructions Performance Tests
Agilent 81560A, 81561A, 81566A, & 81567A Optical Attenuator Modules, First Edition 51
NOTE The patchcords from and to the polarization controller and the
attenuator must not move during and between all measurements. Use
tape to fix the fibers on the table.
4 Zero the power meter. Display [W].
5 Set the attenuator and the power meter to the actual wavelength of
the source.
6 Enable the laser source and allow 5 minutes for the laser to settle.
7 Reset the polarization controller.
8 Set the polarization filter of the 8169A to maximize the signal.
9 Note the diplayed angle of the polarization filter as "Linear
Horizontal Setting".
Set plates for Horizontal polarization. For the following steps the
polarizer is kept constant.
10 Set the l/4 Retarder Plate to the same angle as the polarization
filter.
11 Note the angle as "l/4, Linear Horizontal Polarization".
12 Set the l/2 Retarder Plate to the same angle as the polarization
filter.
13 Note the angle as "l/2, Linear Horizontal Polarization".
Determine settings for Linear Vertical, Linear Diagonal and Right
Hand Circular Polarization.
NOTE In order to get the required polarization, the l/2 and l/4 retarder plates
need to be set to the appropriate values. The corrected positions of the
polarizer plates depend on the actual wavelength and have to be taken
from Table 4, “Retarder Settings,” on page 53. In the case of Linear
Horizontal polarized light no correction is to be done. The table lists
corrections for every 20 nm step. For wavelengths between listed
values, a linear approximation should be used.
14 Get the values (possible by approximation) for the wavelength
dependent offset positions for each type of polarization from
Table 4, “Retarder Settings,” on page 53.
15 Add these values to those for Linear Horizontal polarized light.
16 Note the calculeted corrected wavelength dependent position values
in the Test Record for the l/4 Plate setting and the l/2 Plate setting
for Linear Vertical, Linear Diagonal and Right Hand Circular