Communications

Quick and efficient testing of optical components

by Yokogawa Test&Measurement December 13, 2024

With the AQ6360, Yokogawa has a fast optical spectrum analyzer for the production of optical components. This OSA with a wavelength range of 1200 up to 1650nm, is ideal for manufacturing test of telecom components such as lasers, optical transceivers, and amplifiers.

The spread of high-speed communication services such as the internet and the expansion of data centers for cloud services are leading to an ever-increasing demand for optical components in transmission facilities. Sufficiently powerful measurement technology is required to keep the costs for testing and inspection in the manufacture of these components low.

With the AQ6360 optical spectrum analyzer, the focus was therefore on the technical and economic requirements of production, but also of development. This measuring device covers the wavelength range from 1200 nm to 1650 nm, which is relevant for optical communication. The optical spectrum analyzer AQ6370E, which is already successfully positioned on the market, offers an extended wavelength range from 600 up to 1700 nm.

The AQ6360 is more compact than the AQ6370E. With a height of 4 HU (1 HU = 44.45 mm), the OSA is ideal for use in production environments with limited space, but can also be used as a desktop device in the development area.

Like all Yokogawa optical spectrum analyzers, the AQ6360 uses a monochromator based on proven diffraction grating technology. Due to the design with few moving parts, it is robust and does not require optical adjustment after transport.

The AQ6360 comes with a high-resolution, fast-reacting 8.4″ capacitive touchscreen without any keypad. This makes operation easy and intuitive. If required, an external keyboard and mouse can also be connected. The Ethernet and GPIB interfaces included as standard enable external access to the measuring device and easy integration into automated test systems.

An integral part of Yokogawa’s optical spectrum analyzers is the free beam input, which accepts single and multimode fibers and ensures low insertion loss with different fiber cross-sections. The input connector is also protected from scratches and dirt. An optional wavelength reference source is available to automatically calibrate the AQ6360.

The AQ6360 offers twice the measurement speed of the proven AQ6370E, which is optimized for use in a research and development environment. This achieves a significantly higher throughput in production lines. In the manufacture of laser diodes for the data and telecommunications industry, the new AQ6360 also supports an important test parameter with SMSR (Side-Mode Suppression Ratio) measurements. In addition, more than ten functions are available for data analysis, including WDM (OSNR), SMSR, DFB-LD, EDFA and spectral width.

Important key data at a glance:

• Wavelength range: 1200 nm to 1650 nm
• Wavelength resolution: 100 pm to 2 nm
• Sensitivity: up to -80 dBm
• High wavelength accuracy: up to +/- 0.02 nm @ (1520 nm to 1580 nm)
• High “close-in” dynamics: up to +55 dB @ (peak ± 0.4 nm)
• Measurement speed: twice as fast as the AQ6370E with the same settings