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Abstract

A method and apparatus for optimizing dispersion in an optical fiber transmission line. The method and apparatus (a) determine an optimum amount of total dispersion of an optical transmission line corresponding to a power level of an optical signal transmitted through the optical transmission line; (b) control dispersion of the optical transmission line so that the total dispersion up to a specific point along the optical transmission line becomes approximately zero; and (c) add dispersion to the optical transmission line downstream of the specific point, to obtain the determined optimum amount of total dispersion. The control of dispersion in (b), above, can be performed in several different manners. For example, the control of dispersion can include (i) detecting the intensity of a specific frequency component of the optical signal, the optical signal having an intensity v. total dispersion characteristic curve with at least two peaks; and (ii) controlling the amount of total dispersion of the transmission line to substantially minimize the intensity of the specific frequency component between the two highest peaks of the intensity v. total dispersion characteristic curve of the optical signal. Assuming that the optical signal is modulated by a data signal having a bit rate of B bits/second, then the specific frequency component is preferably a B hertz component of the optical signal.

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