PMD probability distribution for arbitrary distances

Summary form only given.Polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is caused by the random birefringence present in optical fibers. In this paper we have determined the differential group delay (DGD) distribution for arbitrary distances with a realistic birefringence model. First of all, we have shown that, for a fiber correlation length that is much larger than the beat length, the Fokker-Planck equation governing the evolution of the probability density function is independent of any parameters. In addition, by numerically solving this equation, we have shown that the probability density function for the DGD approaches a Maxwellian distribution asymptotically, and that significant deviations between the actual and asymptotic distributions are present over large distances.