Patent attributes
The present invention provides a chromatic-dispersion measuring apparatus and method that can quickly measure chromatic dispersion in an optical fiber even when the optical fiber is short. Continuous light beams having the wavelengths λ1 and λ2 output from light sources are multiplexed by a multiplexer, are intensity-modulated by an intensity modulator, and are then output as optical signals. The output optical signals with the wavelengths λ1 and λ2 enter an optical fiber to be measured, and propagate therethrough. The optical signals emerging from the optical fiber are de-multiplexed by a de-multiplexer, and are received by corresponding photodetectors. Subsequently, the phase difference between the optical signals received by the photodetectors is detected by a phase detector. The chromatic dispersion of the optical fiber is calculated by an arithmetical circuitry on the basis of the detection result.