Agilent Technologies to Demonstrate Test and Measurement Solutions at OFC/NFOEC for 100G and Beyond

The new era of data-center infrastructure, enabling cloud computing, big data storage and analytics, is driving the development of new standards for higher data rates. This involves long-haul transmission lines through serial I/O interfaces in end-user devices. 100G and higher is the next speed class required in data centers and metro or long-haul communication lines.

Moving more data at rates of 100 Gb/s and higher across the cloud promises efficiency gains for operators in cost per bit transmitted. They will use technologies such as complex modulation, silicon photonics and integrated optics to achieve those data rates as they build out their networks. But these technologies also create challenges for designers who need to validate their high-speed optical and electrical components and systems.

“Achieving the goal of 100G and higher speeds requires flexible instruments that meet customer needs today and tomorrow,” said Juergen Beck, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Digital Photonic Test Division. “Agilent is the only electronic test and measurement company that offers test solutions along the entire value chain of the cloud, addressing the latest technologies such as silicon photonics and coherent transmission.”

Agilent will introduce the following new products:

o Multi-Wavelength Meter with a significantly enhanced reference gas laser that offers slower degradation, extends the meter’s operating life, requires less maintenance, and reduces cost of ownership in the most accurate class of wavelength meters.

o Optical power meters that provide the industry’s highest sensitivity, along with low noise and solid stability, to accurately measure and monitor weak signals and small signal changes.

o Four-tap de-emphasis pattern generator options for the 32-Gb/s Serial BERT for easier transceiver, backplane and IC testing.

Agilent experts will demonstrate how to:

Enable coherent transmission beyond 400 Gb/s using the industry’s most flexible optical and electrical real-time modulation analysis system, the Agilent N4391A, which includes the Infiniium 90000 Q-Series oscilloscope. The Q-Series features a two-channel, real-time bandwidth of 63 GHz, the industry’s highest four-channel bandwidth with 33 GHz in a single frame, and the industry’s lowest noise and jitter measurement floor.

Analyze complex modulation at 100 Gb/s and beyond using the portable new N4392A integrated optical modulation analyzer for automated characterization of integrated coherent receivers. The compact and affordable N4392A can perform real-time modulation analysis of a 100 Gb/s dual-polarization QPSK signal and is well-suited for 100 Gb/s R&D, manufacturing and system integration applications.

Characterize components for next-generation transmission systems using Agilent’s new Lightwave Component Analyzer. This instrument, based on Agilent’s new Performance Network Analyzer, can show balanced electro-optical characterization for 100/400G components. The N7700A Photonic Application Suite can deliver spectral polarization analysis for coherent receivers and passive components.

Efficiently analyze waveforms and bit errors for 100G Ethernet through parallel testing of multiple electrical 25- to 32-Gb/s channels. The Agilent N1045A 60-GHz minimodules for the Infiniium DCA-X oscilloscope (each configured with two or four remote heads) and the new compact N4960A Serial BERT (with fast rise time and high voltage options) are ideal solutions for next-generation data-center links. Both can test multiple channels from 25 to 32 Gb/s for 100G Ethernet, 32G fibre channel, and CEI-28G-VSR applications.