Patent ID: 7142751

Claim:
A method for compensating for the chromatic dispersion in optical systems, the method comprising the steps of: separating input optical radiation into distinct chromatic components; propagating said distinct chromatic components through the optical system, said propagating including the steps of: reflecting said distinct chromatic components from a holographic mirror; providing, through said reflecting, a pre-selected relationship between optical path lengths of said distinct chromatic components, said pre-selected relationship substantially compensating for the chromatic dispersion; and, recombining said distinct chromatic components, after propagating through the optical system; in order to provide said pre-selected relationship, said holographic mirror has reflection properties different from a conventional mirror; in reflecting said distinct chromatic components, a direction of propagation of said distinct chromatic components being altered by means of diffraction by said holographic mirror; in reflecting said distinct chromatic components by means of diffraction, an angle of incidence does not equal an angle between a direction of propagation of said reflected distinct chromatic components and a normal to a surface of said holographic mirror at substantially a location of incidence, said reflected distinct chromatic components emanating from said surface.