Tunable dispersion compensator and method for tunable dispersion compensation
First Claim
1. A tunable dispersion compensator comprising:
- a plurality of ring resonators connected in series having the same delay time spectrum; and
a central wavelength controlling unit which controls the respective central wavelengths at which said plurality of ring resonators are resonating,wherein each of said plurality of ring resonators includes a linear waveguide, a ring-shaped waveguide disposed along said linear waveguide, and an optical coupler which optically couples said linear waveguide and said ring-shaped waveguide, thereby constituting a plurality of ring-shaped waveguides and a plurality of optical couplers,wherein the plurality of said ring-shaped waveguides have same shape and size, andwherein the plurality of said optical couplers have the same coupling efficiency,wherein said respective central wavelengths are controlled to respective predetermined values by said central wavelength controlling unit and the respective delay time spectra of said resonators are combined, and the inclination of the slope of the combined delay time spectrum is thereby controlled and the amount of dispersion compensation is changed according to the degree of the inclination of said slope, andwherein respective intervals between said central wavelengths increase as the wavelengths become longer.
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Abstract
A tunable dispersion compensator and a tunable dispersion compensation method having a simple structure which can be easily controlled are provided. A tunable dispersion compensator 201 is constructed of first to nth ring resonators 2021, to 202n having the same delay time spectrum arranged in series. These resonators are provided with first to nth ring-shaped waveguides 2041 to 204n for a common linear waveguide 203 through directional couplers 2061 to 206n. Heaters 2051 to 205n are disposed in the first to nth ring-shaped waveguides 2041 to 204n. By controlling temperatures of these heaters, central wavelengths of the respective ring resonators 2021 to 202n are controlled and the dispersion of an optical signal input to the waveguide 203 is compensated.
24 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A tunable dispersion compensator comprising:
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a plurality of ring resonators connected in series having the same delay time spectrum; and a central wavelength controlling unit which controls the respective central wavelengths at which said plurality of ring resonators are resonating, wherein each of said plurality of ring resonators includes a linear waveguide, a ring-shaped waveguide disposed along said linear waveguide, and an optical coupler which optically couples said linear waveguide and said ring-shaped waveguide, thereby constituting a plurality of ring-shaped waveguides and a plurality of optical couplers, wherein the plurality of said ring-shaped waveguides have same shape and size, and wherein the plurality of said optical couplers have the same coupling efficiency, wherein said respective central wavelengths are controlled to respective predetermined values by said central wavelength controlling unit and the respective delay time spectra of said resonators are combined, and the inclination of the slope of the combined delay time spectrum is thereby controlled and the amount of dispersion compensation is changed according to the degree of the inclination of said slope, and wherein respective intervals between said central wavelengths increase as the wavelengths become longer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A tunable dispersion compensation method comprising the steps of:
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controlling resonating central wavelengths of a plurality of resonators connected in series having a same time delay spectrum; combining the respective delay time spectra of said resonators; controlling an inclination of a slope of the combined delay time spectrum; and changing an amount of dispersion compensation, wherein the respective delay time spectra of said resonators have the same shape, the central wavelengths of each of said resonators are set to different wavelengths, and an interval of said neighboring central wavelengths increases as the wavelength becomes longer. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification