Optical apparatus which uses a virtually imaged phased array to produce chromatic dispersion

An apparatus comprising:

• a virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) generator receiving an input light at a respective wavelength and producing a corresponding output light traveling from the VIPA generator in a direction determined by the wavelength of the input light;
• a plurality of mirrors having different surface curvatures;
• and
• a holder having a rotation axis and holding the plurality of mirrors equidistantly from the rotation axis, the holder being rotatable around the rotation axis to bring a different, respective mirror of the plurality of mirrors in position to reflect the output light back to the VIPA generator, to thereby provide dispersion compensation to the input light.

An apparatus comprising:

• a radiation window;
• first and second reflecting surfaces in parallel with each other, the first reflecting surface allowing substantially no light to be transmitted therethrough and being in the same plane as the radiation window, the second reflecting surface having a reflectivity which causes a portion of light incident thereon to be transmitted therethrough, wherein
• an input light at a respective wavelength travels through the radiation window and is focused into a line, and
• the first and second reflecting surfaces are positioned so that the input light radiates from the line to be reflected a plurality of times between the first and second reflecting surfaces and thereby cause a plurality of lights to be transmitted through the second reflecting surface, the plurality of transmitted lights interfering with each other to produce a collimated output light which travels from the second reflecting surface along a direction determined by the wavelength of the input light, and is thereby specially distinguishable from an output light formed for an input light having a different wavelength;
• a plurality of mirrors having different surface curvatures;
• and
• a holder having a rotation axis and holding the plurality of mirrors equidistantly from the rotation axis, the holder being rotatable around the rotation axis to bring a different, respective mirror of the plurality of mirrors in position to reflect the output light back to the second reflecting surface to pass through the second reflecting surface and undergo multiple reflection between the first and second surfaces.