Abstract

Nearly all ≥10-Gbit/s/channel systems require the periodic management and compensation of fiber chromatic dispersion. The most common type of deployed chromatic dispersion compensator is dispersion compensating fiber (DCF). Another potential alternative is the use of dispersion-compensating chirped fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), for which the reflection time delay (ps) is a function of wavelength (nm).^1–2 Such gratings have the potential for the following characteristics: (i) fixed or tunable operation, (ii) single- or multiple-channel functionality, (iii) low nonlinearity, (iv) compact footprint, (v) low loss, and (vi) compensation for dispersion slope of the transmission fiber.

© 2002 Optical Society of America