20090219601 | Multi-channel Chromatic Dispersion Compensator - A multi-wavelength device to compensate for chromatic dispersion in an optical transmission by inducing a phase shift which varies quadratically as a function of the different frequencies within the transmission. The quadratic phase variation can be applied by dispersing the input optical signal such that different wavelength components are spatially spread, and disposing an array of phase shifting elements along the dispersion direction, such that different wavelengths pass through different phase shifting elements. The elements are actuated to provide a phase shift which varies at least partially quadratically along the dispersion axis, and thus generates at least a partially quadratic phase variation to the wavelength components. This compensates for a phase shift having a quadratic dependence on frequency, generated as a result of the chromatic dispersion. The device is tunable, such that changes in chromatic dispersion can be compensated for dynamically. | 09-03-2009 |