Patent ID: 6266170
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method for compensating for chromatic dispersion in an optical network, comprising the steps of:(a) analyzing an optical signal at a first location in the optical network;(b) determining if the optical signal has a desired shape at the first location;(c) automatically adjusting a dispersion of the optical signal at a second location in the optical network if the optical signal does not have the desired shape;(d) providing feedback concerning the shape of the adjusted optical signal at the first location; and(e) automatically readjusting the dispersion of the optical signal at the second location based upon the feedback until the optical signal at the first location has the desired shape, wherein the automatically adjusting step (c) and the automatically readjusting step (e) is performed by a tunable dispersion compensator, the tunable dispersion compensator comprising:a virtually imaged phased array (VIPA),a lens optically coupled to the VIanda mirror optically coupled to the lens, wherein the dispersion compensation may be tuned by adjusting the distances between the VIPA lens, and mirror combination.