Assembly for applying a temperature gradient to a refractive index grating and chromatic dispersion compensator

1. An assembly for applying a temperature gradient to a refractive index grating provided in a section of an optical fiber, said assembly comprising:

a heat conductive inner enclosure having opposite ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said inner enclosure defining a cavity therein extending along said longitudinal axis and receiving said section of the optical fiber therethrough;

a heat conductive outer enclosure provided around said inner enclosure and having opposite ends, each end of the outer enclosure being in thermal contact with a corresponding one of the ends of the inner enclosure, said outer enclosure defining an insulation chamber surrounding said inner enclosure; and

a heat exchanging system for imposing a temperature gradient along the outer enclosure.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of heat conductive inserts each comprising a ring portion extending between the inner and outer enclosures at one of the respective ends thereof.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the heat conductive inserts each comprise a cap portion from which projects said ring portion, the cap portion sealing the corresponding end of the outer enclosure outwardly of the inner enclosure, said cap portion having a fiber passage extending therealong to allow the optical fiber therethrough.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 , further comprising a pair of insulating ferrules each holding said optical fiber at a corresponding one of the ends of the outer enclosure, the cap portion of each heat conductive insert having a ferrule channel therein for receiving one of said ferrules.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the corresponding ends of the inner and outer enclosures are sealed together.

6. The assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the sealing of the corresponding ends of the inner and outer enclosures together comprises at least one of a gluing, crimping, soldering, brazing and press fitting bond.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of insulating ferrules each holding said optical fiber at a corresponding one of the ends of the outer enclosure.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner enclosure has an exterior surface provided with a mirror finish.

9. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging system comprises a pair of thermo-electric coolers respectively in contact with said opposite ends of the outer enclosure, said thermo-electric coolers keeping the respective ends of the outer enclosure at different temperatures, thereby imposing said temperature gradient along the outer enclosure.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the heat exchange system further comprises at least one additional thermo-electric cooler, each additional thermo-electric cooler being in contact with the outer enclosure and an intermediate position between the ends thereof.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging system comprises a pair of resistive elements respectively in contact with said opposite ends of the outer enclosure, said resistive elements keeping the respective ends of the outer enclosure at different temperatures, thereby imposing said temperature gradient along the outer enclosure.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein each of said resistive elements comprises a resistive wire coiled around the corresponding end of the outer enclosure.

13. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one heating element uniformly heating the outer enclosure between the opposite ends thereof.

14. A chromatic dispersion compensator, comprising:

at least one section of optical fiber, each of said at least one section of optical fiber having a refractive index grating therealong; and

an assembly for applying a temperature gradient to the refractive index grating in each of said at least one section of optical fiber, said assembly comprising:

a heat conductive inner enclosure having opposite ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said inner enclosure defining a cavity therein extending along said longitudinal axis and receiving each of said at least one section of optical fiber therethrough,

a heat conductive outer enclosure provided around said inner enclosure and having opposite ends, each end of the outer enclosure being in thermal contact with a corresponding ends of the inner enclosure, said outer enclosure defining an insulation chamber surrounding said inner enclosure, and

a heat exchanging system for imposing a temperature gradient along the outer enclosure.

15. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 14 , wherein said at least one section of optical fiber consists of two sections of optical fiber.

16. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 15 , wherein the assembly for applying a temperature gradient further comprises a pair of heat conductive inserts each comprising a ring portion extending between the inner and outer enclosures at one of the respective ends thereof.

17. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 16 , wherein the heat conductive inserts each comprise a cap portion from which projects said ring portion, the cap portion sealing the corresponding end of the outer enclosure outwardly of the inner enclosure, said cap portion having two fiber passages extending therealong to allow the optical fibers therethrough.

18. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 17 , wherein the assembly for applying a temperature gradient further comprises two pairs of insulating ferrules, each ferrule holding one of said optical fibers at a corresponding one of the ends of the outer enclosure, the cap portion of each heat conductive insert having two ferrule channels therein each for receiving one of said ferrules.

19. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanging system comprises a pair of thermo-electric coolers respectively in contact with said opposite ends of the outer enclosure, said thermo-electric coolers keeping the respective ends of the outer enclosure at different temperatures, thereby imposing said temperature gradient along the outer enclosure.

20. The chromatic dispersion compensator according to claim 19 , wherein the heat exchange system further comprises at least two additional thermo-electric coolers, each additional thermo-electric cooler being in contact with the outer enclosure and an intermediate position between the ends thereof.