February 25, 2004 Los Angeles, CA, and Holmdel, NJ -- VPIsystems, developer of photonic design automation software, has launched a suite of software tools that merge real and virtual photonic component and system prototypes. The tools transfer results from Agilent test and measurement equipment to VPI's simulation software to accurately characterize all of the equipment along the transmission link.
The new software suite follows 12 months of development effort and customer feedback from the first joint tool release, which transferred measurements from the Agilent 81910A to VPItransmissionMaker to investigate the system performance of a new commercial dispersion compensator. On the basis of this success, VPI has introduced additional tools that establish similar interfaces to the Agilent 86146B-DPC Time Resolved Chirp Analyzer, the 86038A Optical Dispersion Analyzer, and the 83453A High Resolution Spectrometer.
According to VPI group technology officer Arthur Lowery, the Time Resolved Chirp tool quantifies time variations for the intensity and frequency of a transmitter, while the Optical Dispersion Analyzer captures dispersion and loss of any optical component, including fibers. "Once transferred to VPItransmissionMaker, these results can be used to accurately characterize all of the equipment along the transmission link--transmitters, multiplexers, EDFAs, DCMs, filters and fibers--for complete system performance," he reports.
The combined offering is already accelerating optical component and system vendors' development efforts, adds Lowery. "Developers used the first Agilent 81910A/VPI interface to optimize parameters in WDM system designs. Since then, we have received strong feedback to extend the range of interfaces between Agilent's measurement equipment and VPI's software products."
Vice president and general manager of Agilent's Photonic Measurement Division Werner Berkel says the new software tools enhance competitive advantage for component and systems manufacturers. "The new tools extend this capability across the entire transmission link, so manufacturers can quickly understand their product's impact on transmission systems," he confirms. "The results are shorter design cycles and tighter system specifications, which frees up engineering time and budget, reduces costs and increases competitiveness. For systems manufacturers, the same setup enables rapid benchmarking of component impact on a potential system design, without having to purchase and assemble a physical prototype."
VPI's new suite of tools will be demonstrated at Agilent's booth, # 2239, throughout OFC 2004.