Optical spectrum analyser optimised for telecom device production testing

cost-effective benchtop instrument combines optimal performance with high speed to maximise value and throughput

Yokogawa Test & Measurement, the market leader of premium optical spectrum analysers (OSAs) designed to provide precision “no compromise” testing performance for R&D activities, has for the first time released a cost-effective instrument optimised for testing telecom devices during and after production.

The new AQ6360 is a benchtop optical spectrum analyser targeted mainly at the production testing of datacom and telecom devices such as laser diodes, optical transceivers and optical amplifiers. It offers a sweep speed twice that of other OSA models designed for R&D purposes, thus improving production throughput, and features the convenient free-space optical input which supports both single-mode and multimode fibre testing.

“In production testing, it is factors such as the speed of measurement, robust design and lower capital cost that make a test instrument appealing to customers”, says Terry Marrinan, Vice-President Sales & Marketing, Yokogawa Europe & South-East Asia: “With the AQ6360, we have produced an instrument that will satisfy the requirement of cost-effectiveness requested by our customer base working for mass production companies without compromising on the quality and reliability for which our instruments are renowned.”

Key performance features include a wavelength range from 1200 to 1650 nm, a selectable wavelength resolution from 0.1 to 2 nm, a high wavelength accuracy of ±0.02 nm, a high dynamic range of 55 dB, and a wide measurement range from +20 to -80 dBm. The wavelength resolution and accuracy are maintained over the whole wavelength range. The AQ6360 has sufficient optical performance to perform accurate measurements on the side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR): a key parameter of laser testing on a production line. The instrument can also be used in conjunction with bit error rate test (BERT) equipment to measure the centre wavelength and spectral width of transceivers and laser diode modules.

The AQ6360 incorporates a new type of monochromator with a simpler design and which is lighter in weight than that fitted to earlier Yokogawa models. As a result, it is more robust and does not require re-alignment if the instrument is moved.

With a compact housing measuring only 4U in height, the AQ6360 is ideally suited to use in space-constrained production environments. The high resolution, responsive 8.4-inch multi-touch capacitive touchscreen makes the operation of the instrument simple and intuitive.

Different from other OSAs having a fibre-coupled input, the AQ6360, thanks to its free-space optical input structure, accepts a multimode optical fibre without being affected by high insertion loss which results from the mismatch between multimode and single-mode fibres. Therefore a free-space laser beam from wafer, chip, or device package can efficiently be captured using a multimode fibre, resulting in further improvements in measurement throughput.

The AQ6360 is ready for remote operation, being equipped as standard with Ethernet and GPIB interfaces for remote access and for building automated test systems. Thanks to the optional built-in wavelength reference source, which enables the wavelength calibration function, the AQ6360 wavelength accuracy is always guaranteed.