Agilent Technologies Introduces Industry-First, Phase Noise/Spectral Jitter Analysis for Digital Communications Analyzer


New Modules, Software Enable Advanced Device Characterization and Signal Integrity Insight for High-Speed Digital Designers, Manufacturers

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 22, 2007 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced industry-first phase noise application software and options for the digital communications analyzer (DCA-J). The software allows phase noise/spectral jitter analysis of clock and data signals over a wide dynamic range of 50 Mb/s to 13.5 Gb/s. A new optical/electrical module provides optical transmitter test and 40 Gb/s optical compliance test; an advanced amplitude analysis option offers new methods for optical modulation amplitude and relative intensity noise.

These enhancements prove the DCA-J's leading-edge performance and capabilities as an affordable, comprehensive, easy-to-use sampling scope for optical and electrical applications.

The Agilent 83496B Clock Recovery Module for Phase Noise/Spectral Jitter Analysis

The multi-rate wide loop bandwidth clock recovery module allows precision waveform measurements with a variety of signals, including spread spectrum clocked. This is the industry's first phase noise application software, which allows phase noise/spectral jitter analysis of clock and data signals ranging from 50 Mb/s to 13.5 Gb/s.

Many serial bus architectures employ spread spectrum clocking for better signal integrity, known as electromagnetic interference (EMI) management. Hardware clock recovery elements of sampling oscilloscopes have not been able to follow the large amounts of jitter produced with spread spectrum clocks, making meaningful measurements virtually impossible. This has been overcome with the Agilent 83496B.

The 83496B and phase noise application software reveal root causes of jitter through frequency domain analysis -- an effective and easy method for detecting jitter sources. Also, this solution can perform the analysis on both clock and data signals, so the root causes of data jitter can be related to system clocks.

"This tool allows our customers to see the root causes of jitter, whereas other measurement tools are limited in dynamic range or in the types of signals they can observe," said Sigi Gross, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Digital Verifications Solutions Division.

In addition, the DCA-J offers three new functionalities for optical applications:

o 40Gb/s compliance with Agilent 86116C optical/electrical module: The 86116C can be used as a 65 GHz oscilloscope channel or switched to a reference receiver for 40 Gb/s optical transmitter eye-mask test. Carefully controlled frequency response allows operation as a reference receiver and provides consistent and accurate eye mask tests. It can be configured at standard or FEC rates for OC-768, STM-256 and related specifications.

o Just as the DCA-J revolutionized jitter analysis, DCA-J option 300 provides the same industry-accepted analysis now translated into the amplitude domain. This enables capabilities such as Relative Intensity Noise (RIN) measurement, a common specification for optical transmitters. Historically, RIN measurements have required expensive or complicated test equipment. Now, with this software, eye-mask tests and RIN measurements can be performed quickly and accurately using the same equipment and at the same time. Option 300 also allows separation of interference parameters to extremely low probabilities, providing an accurate measurement of Q-factor, commonly used to estimate bit error ratio.

o Easy OMA measurements for the 86100C DCA-J: Agilent's new Rev 7.0 firmware for the 86100C DCA-J enhances the system through a novel approach to the measurement of optical modulation amplitude (OMA), a common specification for optical transmitters. The general OMA test requires special data patterns. Agilent's 86100C provides the correct OMA result for these patterns, and has the added flexibility to provide an accurate OMA result for virtually any data pattern. This flexibility eliminates the need to reconfigure the stimulus, saving measurement time for a complete characterization of the transceiver.

U.S. Pricing and Availability
All products will be available Feb. 1, 2007. Pricing and additional information are as follows:

o The Agilent 83496B multi-rate wide bandwidth clock recovery module will start at $18,500. For additional information, go to www.agilent.com/find/83496B.

o The Agilent 86116C optical/electrical module will start at $64,089. For additional information, go to www.agilent.com/find/86116C.

o The Agilent 86100C Option 300 amplitude interference/RIN/Q-factor software will cost $2,800. (Note: Requires Option 200.)

o The Agilent 86100C Infiniium DCA-J firmware revision 7.0 will be available at no charge via the Web. For more information, go to www.agilent.com/find/dcaj. (Note: Firmware revision 7.0 is not compatible with the 86100A or 86100B. Contact Agilent Technologies for upgrading 86100A or 86100B mainframes to an 86100C.)

Product photos are available at www.agilent.com/find/dca-j_images.

About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $5.0 billion in fiscal year 2006. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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