A method and apparatus for compensating an
optical filter is disclosed. The device substantially maintains the selected center
wavelength in the
optical filter across a range of operating temperatures. In an embodiment of the invention an
optical filter is disclosed for filtering a selected channel among a plurality of multiplexed channels of an
optical communication. The optical filter includes an
optical fiber and an elongate housing. The
optical fiber has a first side and a second side and a filter portion intermediate the first side and the second side, and the
optical fiber for transmitting the multiplexed
optical communication and the filter portion for filtering the selected channel. The elongate housing includes exposed end portions through which the optical
fiber extends. The optical
fiber is affixed at each exposed end portion. The exposed end portions exhibit between them a
negative coefficient of
thermal expansion sufficient to generate strains on the filter to substantially stabilize a filtered
wavelength to substantially correspond with the selected channel during temperature variations. In an alternate embodiment of the invention the elongate housing is defined about a longitudinal axis and including a first anchor pad and a second anchor pad to which the filter portion is affixed. At least one of the anchor pads is at least initially movable in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis to vary a strain on the filter portion to tune a center
wavelength of the selected channel. In another embodiment of the invention an optical filter for filtering an optical
signal is disclosed. In still another embodiment of the invention a method for compensating an optical filter is disclosed.