Modeling of Polarization Dynamics in Optical Fibers for Quantum Networking

As a new generation of quantum networks begins to come online, evaluating questions of efficiency and practicality is becoming critical to the continued growth of these networks. Polarization qubits suffer from polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects as they traverse long optical fibers, and these PMD effects are random and time-varying, making compensation of these effects a challenge. In this work we present a Python-based simulation tool for describing and understanding PMD and nonlinear scattering effects in optical fibers. Our model is physically motivated to allow for intuition behind PMD effects, and has been validated against experimental observations in spooled, aerial, and buried fibers. As an example, we describe computational results regarding wavelength-division multiplexing compensation schemes.