Agilent Technologies' New Optical Polarization Solutions Provide In-Depth Characterization of Optical Components and Systems for R&D, Manufacturing
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 20, 2007 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) has expanded its fiber-optic test portfolio with six new polarization analysis and control solutions for R&D and manufacturing of optical components and systems. These new Agilent products allow researchers and designers to fully characterize all polarization-related parameters with unmatched speed and accuracy. Agilent will show these products for the first time at the European Conference and Exhibition on Optical Communication (ECOC), Sept. 17-19, at the International Congress Centrum in Berlin, Germany, Agilent Booth 069 - 074, Hall 15. The products are based on the industry-proven technology developed by Adaptif Photonics, which Agilent acquired in June 2007. For manufacturers, the new product portfolio offers fast and cost-effective control and test solutions for alignment, adjustment and final test, helping to reduce the cost of test and increase yield and throughput. "We acquired Adaptif Photonics to strengthen our optical test and measurement offerings," said Juergen Beck, business segment manager for photonic test and measurement at Agilent's Photonic and Network Test Division. "The new products offer unprecedented performance in the optical test industry and significantly enhance our offering for our customers, addressing their component test needs in high-speed broadband network designs." Agilent's New Polarization Products and Test Solutions * The N7781A is a compact high-speed polarization analyzer that provides comprehensive capabilities for analyzing polarization properties of optical signals. This includes representation of the State of Polarization (SOP) on the Poincaré Sphere (Stokes Parameter). * The N7782A PER analyzer is designed for high-speed and highly accurate testing of the polarization extinction ratio (PER) in PM fibers. The real-time measurement capability, in combination with automation interfaces, makes this unit ideally suited for integration in manufacturing systems like pigtailing stations for optical components. * The N7783A thermal cycling unit is fully controlled by the Agilent N7782A PER analyzer and allows accurate and repeatable cycling of the temperature of the fiber under test. * The new family of polarization controllers -- N7784A, N7785A and N7786A -- provide a stable output SOP even with fluctuations and drifts of the input SOP as occurring, for example, through temperature drift and mechanical settling processes. This makes alignment and adjustment processes faster and more reliable, saving time and cost. With a built-in polarimeter, the Agilent N7786A provides truly high-speed polarization analysis capabilities; more than 500,000 samples can be taken with a sample rate of up to 1 mega sample per second. * The N7788A component analyzer's proprietary technology is comparable with the well-known Jones-Matrix-Eigenanalysis (JME) or differential group delay (DGD) of optical devices. Agilent's new single-scan technology provides a complete set of parameters, including DGD/ PMD / PDL / 2nd order PMD, Power / Loss, TE / TM-Loss, Principal States of Polarization (PSPs), and Jones and Mueller Matrices, in just one test instrument. U.S. Pricing and Availability The following new products are available for order today: * the Agilent N7781A, starting at $17,000; * the Agilent N7782A, starting at $15,000; * the Agilent N7783A, starting at $3,000; * the Agilent N7784A, starting at $26,000; * the Agilent N7785A, starting at $22,000; * the Agilent N7786A, starting at $28,000; and * the Agilent N7788A, starting at 36,000. Further information about the Agilent polarization test products is available at www.agilent.com/find/pol.