Analytical theory for pulse broadening induced by all-order polarization mode dispersion combined with frequency chirp and group-velocity dispersion

We derive an analytical expression for the expected root-mean-square (rms) pulse broadening with considering the combined effects of all-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), group velocity dispersion (GVD) and frequency chirp. It is shown that two commonly used first-order PMD compensators lose their efficiency quickly with chirp parameter increasing if GVD is ignored. When GVD is added, prechirp technique is helpful for the enhancement of PMD tolerance for both uncompensated case and first-order compensators when GVD and PMD coefficient satisfy some special relationship.