Tunable dispersion compensators utilizing higher order mode fibers

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 727 - 729
• Main Authors: Ramachandran, S., Ghalmi, S., Chandrasekhar, S., Ryazansky, I., Yan, M.F., Dimarcello, F.V., Reed, W.A., Wisk, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-05-2003; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Arrayed waveguide gratings; Bandwidth; Bit rate; Compensators; Devices; Dispersions; Fiber gratings; Fibers; Noise levels; Optical devices; Optical fiber communication; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber dispersion; Optical filters; Optical tuning; Tuning; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2003.810255

We demonstrate a novel tunable dispersion compensator that utilizes higher order mode fibers and switchable fiber gratings. The device is broad band and wavelength continuous, yielding a bit rate, bit format, and signal bandwidth as well as channel-spacing transparent adjustable dispersion compensator. The novel device design is free from tradeoffs between tuning range and bandwidth. The tuning range is 435 ps/nm, with a bandwidth of 30 nm. Its all-fiber configuration yields the lowest loss (average /spl sim/3.7 dB) tunable dispersion compensator reported to date. 40-Gb/s transmission tests reveal penalty-free operation.