Higher-order dispersion compensation by differential time delay

A novel approach to combating the pulse broadening effects of group-velocity dispersion in a fiber-optic communication link due to higher-order dispersion terms has been presented. It has been shown that it is possible for a short pulse to propagate without significant broadening over lengths many times longer than the usual dispersion length of fiber. Root mean square phase deviation, dimension-free chirp parameter, and figure of merit have been evaluated for ideal and realistic optical communication systems using higher-order dispersion terms together. It has been shown that dispersionless propagation length can be enhanced to 5 and 6.5 times if the compensation is performed by using second-and third-order and third-and fourth-order dispersion terms together, respectively. (C) 1998 Academic Press.