Patent ID: 6892003

Claim:
A variable dispersion compensator, which applies a phase shift to an optical signal to compensate dispersion in said optical signal, characterized by comprising optical splitting means, which inputs an optical signal that is the subject of dispersion compensation, and splits said optical signal for every frequency component within a predetermined frequency band; reflecting means, which reflects each of the respective said frequency components that are split by said optical splitting means to apply a predetermined phase shift to each frequency component, and is configured with the reflection position for each of the respective said frequency components being movable in the direction of optical signal propagation; and optical combining means, which combines said frequency components reflected by said reflecting means to give a dispersion compensated optical signal, characterized by said reflecting means comprising a plurality of reflective mirrors that are divided corresponding to said frequency components; and each of the respective said plurality of reflective mirrors being a movable mirror capable of having the reflective surface thereof shifted separately in said direction of optical signal propagation.