Dispersion Measurement in Optical Fibers Using Supercontinuum Pulses

The chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber is measured using a time-of-flight technique, based on temporally and spectrally resolving a dispersed broadband pulse, on which a spectral fringe pattern has been imposed using an etalon. The technique employs broadband supercontinuum radiation, generated by launching picosecond pulses from a fiber laser into a photonic-crystal fiber. It allows the dispersion of highly dispersive optical fibers and components to be measured with a high spectral resolution over a wide wavelength region. The technique is demonstrated by measuring the dispersion of a dispersion-compensating module over its entire 400-nm transmission band with a subnanometer spectral resolution