A tunable dispersion compensator for the compensation of the chromatic dispersion
experienced by a single-channel or multi-channel light signal. The compensator
includes a plurality of optical structures such as chirped Bragg gratings or combinations
thereof, each having a characteristic dispersion profile. An optical coupling arrangement
successively propagates the light signal in each of these structures, so that it
accumulates the dispersion compensation effect of each. A tuning device jointly
tunes the dispersion profile of each optical structure by applying a same tuning
force thereto, preferably a temperature gradient.