TeraXion has introduced its new line of chromatic dispersion compensators, which use an innovative fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology that allows wide bandwidth dispersion compensation on a single grating. They feature ultra-low group delay ripple (< ± 5 ps), low insertion loss, and small dimensions, providing a very interesting solution for DWDM metro systems, contends the company.
The compensators are available in 8- to 32-channel configurations, fixed or expandable, at 100- and 200-GHz spacing. They provide up to 2,500-ps/nm per-channel adjustment for fine dispersion slope matching or coarse slope correction at long-haul and ultra long-haul terminals.
"Our customers are looking for alternate ways to efficiently manage dispersion," says marketing director Erick Pelletier, "and we are dedicated to bringing novel solutions to address their current problems."
Historically, FBG chromatic dispersion compensators have been limited in bandwidth, which compromised their success in DWDM applications. "We pushed the FBG technology frontiers with the development of complex gratings capable of compensating several DWDM channels simultaneously," explains Dr. Martin Guy, chief technology officer. "Our recent advances in holographic phase mask fabrication helped us achieve this performance level before all others" he adds. Phase masks are a key element for manufacturing FBG components in volume.
Current approaches for chromatic dispersion compensation include dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) that corrects a fixed amount of dispersion at a given wavelength. Channels at the extremes of the transmission bands in DWDM systems are over or under-compensated, leading to a residual dispersion accumulation along the fiber link.
For more information about TeraXion Inc. (Quebec), visit the company's Web site at www.teraxion.com.