Book excerpt: Polarization Measurement and Control in Optical Fiber Communication and Sensor Systems A practical handbook covering polarization measurement and control in optical communication and sensor systems In Polarization Measurement and Control in Optical Fiber Communication and Sensor Systems, the authors deliver a comprehensive exploration of polarization related phenomena, as well as the methodologies, techniques, and devices used to eliminate, mitigate, or compensate for polarization related problems and impairments. The book also discusses polarization-related parameter measurement and characterization technologies in optical fibers and fiber optic devices and the utilization of polarization to solve problems or enable new capabilities in communications, sensing, and measurement systems. The authors provide a practical and hands-on treatment of the information that engineers, scientists, and graduate students must grasp to be successful in their everyday work. In addition to coverage of topics ranging from the use of polarization analysis to obtain instantaneous spectral information on light sources to the design of novel fiber optic gyroscopes for rotation sensing, Polarization Measurement and Control in Optical Fiber Communication and Sensor Systems offers: A thorough introduction to polarization in optical fiber studies, including a history of polarization in optical fiber communication and sensor systems Comprehensive discussions of the fundamentals of polarization, including the effects unique to optical fiber systems, as well as extensive coverage Jones and Mueller matrix calculus for polarization analysis In-depth treatments of active polarization controlling devices for optical fiber systems, including polarization controllers, scramblers, emulators, switches, and binary polarization state generators Fulsome explorations of passive polarization management devices, including polarizers, polarization beam splitters/displacers, wave-plates, Faraday rotators, and depolarizers Extensive review of polarization measurement techniques and devices, including time-division, amplitude-division, and wave-front division Stokes polarimeters, as well as various Mueller matrix polarimeters for PMD, PDL, and birefringence measurements Premiere of binary polarization state analyzers and binary Mueller matrix polarimeters pioneered by the authors, including their applications for highly sensitive PMD, PDL, and birefringence measurements Comprehensive discussion on distributed polarization analysis techniques developed by the authors, including their applications in solving real world problems Detailed descriptions of high accuracy polarimetric fiber optic electric current and magnetic field sensors Perfect for professional engineers, scientists, and graduate students studying fiber optics, Polarization Measurement and Control in Optical Fiber Communication and Sensor Systems enables one to quickly grasp extensive knowledge and latest development of polarization in optical fibers and will earn a place in the libraries of professors and teachers of photonics and related disciplines.