Dispersion compensator
US8260139B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 25, 2008 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/18
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Conventional dispersion compensators were not sufficient to satisfy a demand to set a different dispersion value for each WDM wavelength in a ring-mesh type network that utilizes wavelength selective switches or the like. The devices were insufficiently reduced in size and power consumption and used with difficulty to change dispersion characteristics for each wavelength flexibly in a simple manner. A dispersion compensator of the present invention uses general-purpose optical components including a spatial light modulator for providing discrete phases to set appropriately the relationship between the focusing beam radius and the spatial light modulator pixel, thereby providing various dispersion compensation characteristics. Attention is focused on the correspondence between multiple pixels on the spatial light modulator providing discrete phases and a communication channel band, thereby allowing for changing the flexible dispersion characteristics and realizing the setting of an independent dispersion value for each WDM wavelength.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.