Multichannel integrated tunable dispersion compensator employing a thermooptic lens

We present a new design for an integrated-optics tunable dispersion compensator which can use low index-step waveguides, has low loss, is colorless, and requires only one electrical drive signal. We also demonstrate the first silica thermooptic continuous lens.

1. Introduction

40 Gb/s and higher-rate data channels have bandwidths large enough that there is a strong need for a per-channel tunable dispersion compensator (TDC). Fiber, bulk-optic, and waveguide-based TDC's have been demonstrated.