A two-stage polarization mode dispersion (PMD) emulator design consisting of two variable delay lines separated by a rotatable half-wave linear retarder is analyzed and shown to generate an adjustable amount of first- and second-order PMD without any higher orders. This two-stage PMD emulator configuration provides a simple easy-to-breadboard solution for second-order PMD emulators. When compared with PMD emulators based on birefringent crystals, this two-stage emulator is simpler to calibrate.
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