Patent ID: 7106427

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring the chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber having first and second opposite ends, the apparatus comprising: an optical source able to generate optical signals at a variable wavelength; a signal generator able to generate modulation signals; a modulator able to generate modulated signals on the basis of the optical signals and of the modulation signals; a coupling device able to send the modulated signals to the first end of the fiber; an impulse generator in the signal generator and able to generate impulsive electrical signals having variable amplitude and having duration and periodicity determined according to characteristics of the fiber such that the modulated signals are shaped by pulses having variable amplitude; a reflecting element at the second end of the fiber able to reflect the modulated signals and to generate reflected optical signals having a reflected modulated component; and a comparator associated with the first end of the fiber and able to measure a phase difference between the modulation signals and the reflected modulated component.