OZ Optics Limited, a world leading supplier of fiber optic products for existing and next-generation optical networks, announces that it has upgraded its line of polarization extinction ratio meters, making them suitable for automated alignment applications. Applications include passive and active component packaging, MEMs construction, and polarization maintaining fusion splicing.

The new configuration allows the meter to function as an optical signal monitor, to measure coupling efficiency while aligning polarization maintaining or singlemode fibers to optical components. The meter reports output powers with a digital readout rate of over 600 samples per second. This rapid response makes it suitable for today’s automated alignment systems.

The current model is designed to optimize power and polarization separately. To perform simultaneous optimization of power and polarization, beam splitting optics can be attached to the polarization extinction ratio meter. This splits a small signal to a photodiode, for independent monitoring of the power while measuring polarization.

In addition, the extinction ratio measurement system has been upgraded, to provide a readout rate for the polarization exceeding four readings per second. The output power is also reported with the polarization extinction ratio and the polarization axis angle, making it a highly versatile instrument. The instrument can be controlled remotely via an RS232 interface, for integration with automation control software. Finally a data logging function monitors changes in polarization over extended time periods, making it suitable for quality control applications.