MULTICHANNEL INTEGRATED TUNABLE THERMO-OPTIC LENS AND DISPERSION COMPENSATOR

摘要

A thenno-optic lens (150) of the present invention includes a plurality of parallel heating elements (210₁ -210_n) having substantially constant center-to-center spacing and respective dimensions varying from the outermost heating elements to the innermost heating elements, and at least two conductive elements (220₁, 220₂) for providing a potential across the heating elements. The dimensions of the heating elements are varied such that a parabolic temperature distribution is generated within the thermo- optic lens. A dispersion compensator (100) of the present invention includes a first and a second waveguide grating (110₁, 110 ₂), each of the waveguide gratings having a first star coupler (130₁, 132₂), an array of waveguides (120₁- 120_n, 122₁-122_n) of increasing path lengths, a first end of each of the waveguides of the array of waveguides optically coupled to the first star coupler, and a second star coupler (130 ₂, 132₂), a second end of each of the waveguides of the array of waveguides optically coupled to the second star coupler. The dispersion compensator further includes a lens (150) having a parabolic refractive index distribution, the lens optically coupling the second star coupler of the first waveguide grating and the second star coupler of the second waveguide grating.;COPYRIGHT KIPO & WIPO 2010