A chromatic dispersion compensator comprises a beam delay element, such as one
or more Gires-Tournois etalon (GTEs); a beam director, such as a polarizing beam
splitter (PBS), a prism polarizer, a dielectric polarizer or a crystal polarizer;
and a polarization changer, such as one or more quarter-wave plates. The beam director
directs an inbound optical beam based on its polarization toward the beam delay
element whereat a first unit of group delay is induced. The optical beam traverses
the beam delay element and enters a polarization changer whereat the optical beam
obtains a new polarization. The optical beam traverses the polarization changer
and re-enters the beam director whereupon a path change is induced on the optical
beam based on its new polarization and the optical beam is redirected toward the
beam delay element whereat a second unit of group delay is induced. The compensator
is arranged to advantageously perform the referenced technique contemporaneously
on two constituent optical beams (having different polarizations) of an inbound
optical beam and eventually re-combine the two constituent optical beams into an
outbound optical beam. The beam delay element may include one or more GTEs. Inducement
of path changes and direction of the optical beam to the beam delay element may
be assisted by one or more ninety degree mirrors. The referenced technique may
be performed on an optical beam more than twice, such that a third, fourth, fifth,
etc. delay is induced on the optical beam.