Patent ID: 6310993
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: G02B,H04B

Abstract:
A chromatic dispersion compensator, comprising:a channel separator for separating a wavelength division multiplexed light comprising a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels containing undesired chromatic dispersion and dispersion slope, wherein the channel separator comprises:a polarization beam splitter for decomposing the wavelength division multiplexed light into a plurality of polarized components of the plurality of channels, andat least two non-linear interferometers optically coupled to the polarization beam splitter for introducing a phase difference between at least two of the polarized components of the plurality of channels; anda plurality of partial-channel-set dispersion compensation devices optically coupled to the channel separator in a cascade arrangement, wherein each partial-channel-set dispersion compensation device comprises:a virtually imaged phased array (VIoptically coupled to the channel separator, anda light returning device optically coupled to the VIwherein a combination of the VIPA and the light returning device compensates for the undesired chromatic dispersion and dispersion slope by propagating each wavelength of the plurality of channels along a different path length.