Simple design method for third-order dispersion compensation with a thin-film dispersion compensator.

A novel and simple numerical method for finding the best thin-film structures for third-order dispersion compensation has been achieved. A target third-order dispersion value is specified first; then the multilayer thin-film structure is optimized to have a second-order dispersion spectrum, which has the least deviation from linearity and has a slope that equals the specified third-order dispersion value. Numerical examples are presented for reflection-type and transmission-type thin-film compensators. Both types can achieve required phase compensation, but the reflection type has a flatter amplitude response than the transmission type.