MARCH 19, 2009 -- Optametra (search Lightwave for Optametra) has announced what it asserts are the first available instruments for testing coherent transmission systems in real time. Optametra's OM4005 and OM4006 Coherent Lightwave Signal Analyzers are designed to enable visualization and measurement of dual-polarized complex-modulated signals in fiber.
Optametra's hardware includes the OM3005 polarization-diverse Coherent Modulation Receiver (CMR). The CMR is designed to enable simultaneous measurement of any modulation format, including coherent dual-polarization (DP) QPSK, and subsets, such as differential QPSK. Optametra says its software calibrates and processes for real-time burst-mode constellation diagram displays, eye-diagram displays, bit-error detection, polarization (Poincaré sphere), and more. Bit rates to 43 Gbps (40G DP-QPSK) are supported today, with simple 112 Gbps (100G DP-QPSK) upgrades available mid-2009.
Optametra will introduce the OM4005 and OM4006 at OFC/NFOEC 2009, Booth 2353.
Although other tools for visualizing complex optical modulation have been introduced earlier this month by Agilent, "Optametra's OM 4005 and OM 4006 Coherent Lightwave Signal Analyzers are the first available to measure and display the full optical field of coherent signals," according to Rob Marsland, president of Optametra, "and they are by far the most cost-effective."
Using intradyne and proven phase-estimation techniques, Optametra's instruments present in-phase and quadrature eye diagrams, constellations, data waveforms, and bit-error rates (BERs) for both polarizations of light in fiber, using either a customer's standard network sources or available built-in tunable lasers optimized for coherent applications.
Optametra's OM4005 and OM4006 Coherent Lightwave Signal Analyzers may be ordered today, with standard lead-times of 10-12 weeks ARO, depending on configuration and current availability. Pricing starts at $87,900 in the U.S. Optametra's products are designed to support all four-channel 40 Gs/sec or faster real-time oscilloscopes, including those from Agilent, Tektronix, and LeCroy.
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