Depolarized source for high power remote operation of an integrated optical modulator

Abstract
A depolarized source is demonstrated at 1.3 /spl mu/m by using a Ti:LiNbO/sub 3/ phase modulator to modulate a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser. This approach is shown to be simultaneously effective in increasing the threshold for stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). SBS was totally suppressed in 10.5 km fiber for fiber input powers up to 14.2 mW when the phase modulator was driven at 1 GHz. Stable operation was observed when the depolarized source was used as the input to a remote integrated optic modulator.