PMD compensation via real-time phase retrieval from spectral interference

We present a technique for pulse recovery based on real-time measurement of the differential optical phase spectrum from spectral interference patterns. Using a phase retrieval algorithm we can obtain accurate all order polarization mode dispersion (PMD) information for the optical signal and correspondingly compensate the impairment in optical transmission lines. Linear PMD is accurately extracted from measurements, and analytical simulations show recovery of pulses distorted by higher order PMD.