Monomode fiber modulators: Frequency and polarization state control

Two experimental fiber components are described that exploit the properties of highly birefringent monomode optical fiber. In the first the generation of a traveling ultrasonic flexure wave on the fiber produces a frequency shift on the input optical signal. In the second a variable axial tension modulates the differential phase retardance between the two guided polarization eigenmodes to produce an arbitrary output polarization state from a linear input state (or vice versa) without loss of optical power.