Highly repeatable all-solid-state polarization-state generator

We report an all solid-state polarization-state generator that uses magneto-optic polarization rotators. The device can generate either five or six distinctive polarization states uniformly across a Poincaré sphere with repeatability better than 0.1 degrees. It is ideal for polarization analysis, swept-wavelength measurement, and monitoring of polarization-related parameters and signal-to-noise ratios of optical networks.