Reduction of nonlinear penalties through polarization interleaving in 2/spl times/10 gb/s polarization-multiplexed transmission

We simulated the nonlinear transmission penalties induced through cross-phase modulation related depolarization in 2/spl times/10 Gb/s polarization-multiplexed (POLMUX) transmission. We find that launching adjacent wavelength-division-multiplexed channels with a 180/spl deg/ relative state of polarization shift results in a significant decrease in nonlinear transmission penalties and allows for longer distance POLMUX transmission.