CONTENTS

 1     Scope
 2     References
        2.1     Normative references
        2.2     Informative references
 3     Terms and definitions
        3.1     Definitions
                  3.1.1     Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD)
        3.2     Types of test methods
 4     Abbreviations and acronyms
 5     Test methods
        5.1     Test methods for polarization mode dispersion
                  5.1.1     Reference test method: The Stokes parameter evaluation technique
                  5.1.2     First alternative test method: State of polarization (SOP) method
                  5.1.3     Second alternative test method: Interferometric method
                  5.1.4     The fixed analyser technique
        5.2     Test methods for non-linear attributes
Appendix I – Determination of PMD delay from an interferogram
Appendix II – Non-linear attributes
       II.1     Background
       II.2     Effective area (A_eff)
       II.3     Correction factor k
       II.4     Non-linear coefficient (n₂/A_eff)
       II.5     Stimulated Brillouin scattering
                 II.5.1     Description of the effect
                 II.5.2     SBS threshold estimation for single-mode fibres
       II.6     Other effects
Appendix III – Test methods for effective area (A_eff)
      III.1     The far-field scan (FFS) technique
                III.1.1     General
                III.1.2     Test apparatus
                III.1.3     Measurement procedure
                III.1.4     Presentation of the results
      III.2     The variable aperture (VA) technique
                III.2.1     General
                III.2.2     Test apparatus
                III.2.3     Measurement procedure
                III.2.4     Presentation of the results
      III.3     The near-field scan (NFS) technique
                III.3.1     General
                III.3.2     Test apparatus
                III.3.3     Measurement procedure
                III.3.4     Presentation of the results