Chromatic dispersion compensation device and method

Abstract

A chromatic dispersion compensator whereby the amount of dispersion and the group delay time can be easily adjusted. A dispersion unit, a transmitting lens and a group delay generation unit are arranged along the optical axis of incident light. The dispersion unit separates the incident light into beams of respective different wavelengths. The transmitting lens is arranged across the optical paths of the beams of different wavelengths separated by the dispersion unit, and refracts the beams at different angles according to their respective incidence positions. The group delay generation unit is arranged across the optical paths of the beams of different wavelengths refracted by the transmitting lens, causes the beams to undergo propagation delay for periods corresponding to their respective incidence positions, and converges and emits the beams of different wavelengths. Consequently, the beams of different wavelengths are imparted group delay corresponding to the refracting angles of the transmitting lens.

1 . A chromatic dispersion compensation device to correct wavelength correlated dispersion of light transmitted through an optical fiber, comprising:
 a dispersion unit for separating light emerging from the optical fiber in a propagation direction into light beams of different wavelengths dispersed in a first direction;   a transmitting lens which refracts the light beams received at different incidence positions in the first direction, at different angles with respect to a second direction perpendicular on the first direction and on the propagation direction, wherein the transmitting lens position is movable for adjustment in the first direction; and   a group delay generation unit receiving the light beams from said transmitting lens, for adding propagation delays corresponding to incidence positions of the light beams on said group delay generation unit, and outputting the light beams of the different wavelengths.