LeCroy Introduces LabMaster 9 Zi-A Modular Oscilloscope Systems – Most Bandwidth, Highest Channel Count, and Highest Sample Rate

LeCroy Corporation’s new line of LabMaster 9 Zi-A Modular Oscilloscope Systems provides more bandwidth (45 GHz), sample rate (120 GS/s), and channels (up to 20) than any other oscilloscope, with analysis memory up to 768 Mpts/ch. In addition, LeCroy’s LabMaster 9 Zi-A high-bandwidth, modular oscilloscope architecture signals the company’s direction at the highest end of its oscilloscope product line. Future ultra-high bandwidth oscilloscopes will be developed and deployed in the LabMaster 9 Zi-A family. Users of ultra-high bandwidth oscilloscopes (>20GHz bandwidth) want leading edge performance, upgradeability, the ability to view multiple channels, and flexible modes of operation. Only LabMaster 9 Zi-A provides this capability.

The LabMaster 9 Zi-A system architecture separates the oscilloscope signal acquisition function from the display, control and processing functions. LabMaster 9 Zi-A Master Acquisition Modules contain the display, control, and a single acquisition module in one unit. Additional Slave Acquisition Modules contain additional acquisition systems. A powerful server-class CPU is in a third module, and it provides processing power for the immense amounts of data made possible by LabMaster 9 Zi-A. By using proprietary ChannelSync™ technology, the LabMaster 9 Zi-A Master Acquisition Module can perfectly synchronize Slave Acquisition Modules thus providing never-before-achieved channel density in high performance oscilloscopes. The flexibility of the LabMaster 9 Zi-A design also allows users to configure LabMaster 9 Zi-A systems for conventional benchtop use with enhanced economic value.

LabMaster 9 Zi-A’s modular design provides the simplest upgrade path in both bandwidth and channel count - start with a minimum configuration and add channels over time by simply adding additional acquisition modules, upgrading bandwidth on existing modules, or mixing and matching bandwidths in one system. The platform even provides for future expandability as LeCroy introduces additional acquisition modules rated for higher bandwidth. Future needs can be met by adding additional LabMaster 9 Zi-A acquisition modules to existing systems in order to increase bandwidth, number of channels or both. LeCroy plans to announce additional LabMaster 9 Zi-A acquisition modules offering the world’s highest bandwidth and channel density before the end of the calendar year.

LabMaster 9 Zi-A enables the leading-edge technologies that provide enhanced high speed data transfer and communication - such as 28-32 Gb/s SERDES, multi-lane serial data (40/100 GbE, PCIe Gen3), and optical coherent modulation communications. These technologies are all necessary to meet the ever-growing volume of network traffic driven by cloud computing, mobile computers, and streaming video. LabMaster 9 Zi-A is also ideal for defense and aerospace applications where high channel count and high bandwidth are both required.
Modular, Inherently Upgradeable, Infinitely Flexible

LeCroy’s LabMaster 9 Zi-A Modular Oscilloscope System is a platform that consists of Master and Slave Acquisition Modules and a CPU (included with the Master). Each Master or Slave is available in bandwidth ratings of 13, 16, 20, 30, and 45 GHz with up to 256 Mpts/Ch of acquisition and analysis memory at up to 20 GHz, 512 Mpts/Ch at 30 GHz, and 768 Mpts/Ch at 45 GHz. Up to four Slaves can be attached to one Master, for a total of 20 channels at 20 GHz, 10 Channels at 30 GHz, and 5 Channels at 45 GHz. The Slave Acquisition Modules are attractively priced to minimize incremental channel cost, making it cost-effective to purchase more oscilloscope channels instead of expensive probes. Furthermore, by cabling signals into the scope instead of using a differential probe or amplifier, noise is decreased by 3dB or more, with higher user confidence in the overall signal fidelity of the complete measurement system.

The higher bandwidth (45 and 30 GHz) acquisition modules contain all of the bandwidth, sample rate and memory capability of the lower bandwidth modules. This provides a great deal of flexibility in performing jitter analysis on fewer signals at the very highest bandwidths, or performing serial data lane skew characterization on more lanes at lower bandwidths. A server-class CPU using Intel Xeon™ X5660 processors (2.8 GHz per core, six cores per processor, and two processors per CPU = 33.6 GHz total effective clock speed) with 24 GB of RAM (192 GB optionally available) powers the LabMaster 9 Zi-A. Coupled with LeCroy’s proprietary X-Stream II streaming architecture, the CPU muscles its way through the immense amounts of acquisition data made possible by LabMaster 9 Zi-A. The entire system simply and quickly connects together to create a functional, single oscilloscope package, but without the normal input channel or bandwidth limitations - operation is the same as a standard oscilloscope. All waveforms are viewable on the built-in 15.3 display, or on a variety of optional or user-supplied displays (up to 2560 x 1600 resolution). The entire system design speaks to a level of sophistication and integration not seen before in laboratory equipment.
ChannelSync Architecture Provides Precise Synchronization

ChannelSync in LabMaster 9 Zi-A mimics the architecture of a single oscilloscope package, even though as many as 20 different channels can be synchronized. A single 10 GHz distributed clock signal is generated and used in the Master Acquisition Module, and also distributed to as many as four additional Slave Acquisition Modules. The 10 GHz clock frequency – 1000 times faster than the 10 MHz reference clocks commonly used to synchronize lab equipment – ensures the high timebase accuracy and precise synchronization between all acquisition modules. The result is an ultra-low 275fsrms jitter between all channels. Slaves are automatically identified to the Master, and software automatically corrects for any static acquisition skew between all acquisition modules. The result is up to twenty oscilloscope channels all operating as a single oscilloscope package.
Proven and Reliable Acquisition Modules

LabMaster 9 Zi-A builds on the acquisition and analysis excellence of the WaveMaster 8 Zi-A. Proven SiGe components ensure high performance with Digital Bandwidth Interleaving (DBI) providing upgrade paths and bandwidth performance not otherwise available. Signal fidelity is pristine, with exceptional rise time, step response, and total and random jitter noise floor. High effective number of bits (ENOB) over the complete operating frequency range, especially in the crucial mid-band, ensures the most noise-free display of signals. Nearly all software and hardware options available for the WaveMaster 8 Zi-A are also available for LabMaster 9 Zi-A, increasing the power and flexibility.
LabMaster 9 Zi-A Enables High Speed (28+ Gb/s) SERDES Development

Development and characterization of high-speed SERDES is actively occurring to support higher electrical datacom and telecom transfer rates. Traditional real-time oscilloscopes are limited to 30 GHz on two channels, and more bandwidth is desired for the highest speed signals, while higher bandwidth sampling oscilloscopes lack the data collection ability and flexibility necessary to understand the root cause of deterministic jitter issues. LabMaster 9 Zi-A can be configured in a system that provides 2 channels at 45 GHz for differential signal input test capability. Furthermore, this configuration also provides 4 channels at 30 GHz or 8 channels at 20 GHz for testing and debugging of multiple lanes at lower bandwidth.
Optical 28+ GBaud Coherent Modulation Analysis with 4 channels at up to 45 GHz

Cloud computing demands are driving rapid developments in buildouts of 28 GBaud (112 Gb/s) DP-QPSK coherent modulation systems while at the same time research is progressing on even faster speeds. For 28 GBaud testing, WaveMaster 820Zi-A is a reasonable solution with 4 channels at 20 GHz, but LabMaster 9 Zi-A can be configured in a 4 channel at 30 GHz system for those developers who desire more bandwidth without sacrificing channel count. Either system can be configured as a complete solution with optional optical reference receivers and analysis software. For >28 GBaud, LabMaster 9 Zi-A can be configured in up to a 4 channel at 45 GHz system to allow research and development at the highest possible symbol rates. In fact, LeCroy 45 GHz systems have already been utilized for leading-edge 80 GBaud DP-QPSK research.
Massively Multi-Lane Serial Data Testing

As serial data rates have increased, serial data has also become parallel with multiple lanes utilized to achieve higher effective data transfer rates. 40/100 GbE with up to 10 lanes at 10 Gb/s each, 100 GbE with up to 4 lanes at 28 Gb/s each, and PCI Express with up to 16 lanes at 8 Gb/s each, all using differential signaling, are obvious examples.

LabMaster 9 Zi-A can be configured in up to 20 channels at 20 GHz, or up to 10 channels at 30 GHz. This can be especially helpful for crosstalk analysis or lane skew measurements. For instance, by sending active data over all lanes and analyzing jitter on a victim lane, it is possible to understand crosstalk due to the aggressor lanes. Lane skew measurements are simple when all of the lanes can be viewed simultaneously. Additionally, two separate oscilloscope channels (with math subtraction) for one differential signal provides better signal fidelity and jitter measurement accuracy compared to using additional differential probes or amplifiers with similar or lower cost, and circuit connection is greatly simplified.