Network Analyzers (Electrical)
Vector Network Analyzers offer simplified operation.
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Press Release Summary:
Model ENA-L provides capabilities needed for characterization of active and passive components, and PNA-L microwave/millimeter-wave network analyzer provides S-parameter measurement and frequency-offset capabilities for evaluating frequency conversion devices. Both are equipped with Windows® interface. Model ENA-L has 4 measurement channels and 10.4 in. color LCD display with optional touch-screen capability, and PNA-L offers 32 measurement channels.
Original Press Release:
Agilent Technologies' Introduces New Lower-Cost L-Series Network Analyzers
Simple Feature Set Provides Basic Network Analysis Capability
PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 12, 2004 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced the ENA-L and PNA-L vector network analyzers that deliver performance and features ideally suited for basic network analysis at significantly lower prices than Agilent's flagship ENA and PNA models. The new ENA-L and PNA-L instruments were specifically designed for cost-conscious engineers working in production-line applications ranging from wireless communications to CATV, aerospace and defense.
Compared with Agilent's market-leading 871x and 872x instrument families, the new analyzers provide increased performance, a modern Windows® interface, and more features to enhance productivity.
ENA-L: Basic RF Network Analysis for Production Test
The ENA-L network analyzers are designed to provide the basic capabilities needed for characterization of active and passive components such as filters, amplifiers, antennas, cables, and CATV taps and distribution amplifiers. The addition of the ENA-L to the ENA Series adds two low-cost models, covering 300 kHz to 1.5 GHz and 300 kHz to 3 GHz. The S-parameter test set options provide the most accurate measurements, while transmission/reflection test set options offer the lowest-cost solutions.
Compared with the Agilent 8712 and 8714 instruments, the ENA-L has the following enhancements:
o half the weight and one-third the instrument depth
o dynamic range of 115 dB (versus 101 dB)
o typical sweep time of 35 ms/sweep (versus 240 ms/sweep)
o 10.4-inch LCD display with optional touch-screen capability (versus a 9-inch monochrome CRT display)
o log and segment sweeps in addition to linear and power
o support for Agilent electronic calibration (ECal) modules
o VBA for measurement automation with a graphical user interface (versus IBASIC)
The ENA-L instruments offer substantial benefits in the manufacturing environment. Their sweep speed is nearly seven times faster than the 8712/8714, which translates into increased throughput. In addition, they offer powerful productivity features that reduce total test time, including an intuitive user interface, limit-line testing for pass-fail evaluation, and simplified calibration with ECal.
The ENA-L also offers versatility for specific applications. For CATV component manufacturers the ENA-L provides 75-ohm test port options, and 6- or 12-port solutions with the 87075C test set. For cable manufacturers, the fault location and structural return loss (SRL) analysis option simplifies thorough cable testing.
PNA-L: High-Speed Measurements to 50 GHz
The PNA-L is Agilent's next generation of basic microwave/millimeter-wave network analyzers and provides basic S-parameter measurement capability and frequency-offset capabilities for evaluating frequency conversion devices. These new lower-cost instruments are available in models covering 10 MHz to 20, 40 or 50 GHz. Compared to the 8720/8722 instruments, the PNA-L provides increased performance in nearly every area. For example, the PNA-L has frequency coverage to 50 GHz (versus 40 GHz), dynamic range at 20 GHz of 108 dB (compared to 100 dB), trace noise at 20 GHz of 0.006 dB (versus 0.03 dB), and measurement speed of less than 9 microsecond/pt (compared to 200 microsecond/pt).
Like the PNA Series, the PNA-L instruments are powered by the Windows operating system in an open environment, which lets users run any compatible software within the instrument, and allows the instruments to become part of an enterprise network. Their broad connectivity, COM/DCOM programming and extremely high measurement speed make them suited to high-volume manufacturing test.
In addition, the PNA-L Series' new features include:
o single-connection electronic calibration (ECal) via USB
o 32 measurement channels (versus two)
o up to 16 simultaneously displayed windows (versus four)
o LAN and USB interfaces (versus just GPIB)
o up to 16,001 points per trace (versus 1,601)
o the addition of PRN, png, bmp, and jpg graphic file formats
o maximum IF bandwidth of 250 kHz (versus 6 kHz)
o parts handler interface
More about the ENA-L and PNA-L instruments and their significance to both Agilent and the RF and microwave community can be found in the "Crafting the Next Generation of Low-Cost Network Analyzers" backgrounder (below).
Additional technical and application information about both instruments is available at www.agilent.com/find/ena and www.agilent.com/find/pna.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Agilent ENA-L network analyzers range in price from $12,300 to $23,500. The PNA-L network analyzers range in price from $62,000 to $98,000. Both are available now.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 29,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.
Windows is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Information in this news release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in other markets.
Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news are available on the Agilent news site at www.agilent.com/go/news.
BACKGROUNDER
Crafting the Next Generation of Entry-Level Network Analyzers: How Agilent Sculpted Its Latest Instrument Platform For Manufacturing Test
Comparisons of the latest vector network analyzers invariably focus on performance parameters such as dynamic range, trace noise, and sweep speed. These are benchmarks that instrument manufacturers continuously strive to improve, yet a significant portion of the user community is interested in instruments that provide a well-rounded combination of performance, features, and low cost. In fact, estimates show that up to 40 percent of users are most interested in low-cost network analyzers that do not hover at the leading edge of performance, but simply provide basic S-parameter measurement capabilities and very good performance.
Agilent Technologies and Hewlett-Packard before it have long served this important market sector with network analyzers that are carefully crafted to provide the right combination of features and performance required in the manufacturing environment. As a result, the 8712 and 8714 instruments for applications below 3 GHz and 8720 and 8722 instruments for microwave and millimeter-wave applications have been the leaders in this area since their introduction in the early 1990s.
Obviously, technology has dramatically advanced since these instruments were designed, and buyers of lower-cost network analyzers today have more demanding needs - but must adhere to strict budgetary considerations. The challenge facing Agilent in designing its next generation of low-cost network analyzers was to ensure that these users would continue to have the measurement performance expected of a next-generation instrument, while maintaining prices at their current levels, or even less.
To achieve this, Agilent began with its ENA and PNA Series analyzers, the most advanced in its product line. The features essential to basic network analysis and manufacturing test were included and many of the core features of the ENA and PNA Series were retained. This engineering was conducted with customers' tight pricing constraints as a foremost consideration.
Fortunately, microprocessor, semiconductor, software, display, and storage technologies have provided a way to bring these goals to fruition, through their lower cost, higher levels of integration, and superior performance. The ENA-L and PNA-L instruments embody these advances, and the results are significant. For example, the ENA-L analyzers, while offering higher performance in virtually every area than the 8712/8714, are a third shorter instrument depth and half the weight. Measurement speed is nearly seven times faster, dynamic range is up to 15 dB greater, and other performance parameters are improved as well. Equally dramatic are the performance improvements of the PNA-L over the 8720 and 8722 instruments. Their sweep speed is up to 20 times faster, dynamic range is at least 5 dB greater, measurement points per trace 16,001 versus 1,601, and maximum IF bandwidth is 250 kHz versus 6 kHz.
Advances in electronics technology also allow functionality to be increased without raising cost. For example, the ENA-L offers four measurement channels (versus two in the previous instruments) and the PNA-L offers 32 (versus only two). The ENA-L has a color LCD display with optional touch-screen capability, versus a nine-inch monochrome CRT displays in the 8712/8714. The PNA-L can display up to 16 measurement windows simultaneously (versus four), and Ethernet and USB interfaces complement the GPIB interface. Both instruments support Agilent's ECal electronic calibration system through USB. The ENA-L and PNA-L are compared to both Agilent's previous lower-cost network analyzers and the high-performance versions (ENA and PNA) in Tables 1 and 2 (attached).
These capabilities allow Agilent to expand the range of its ENA and PNA Series instruments to embrace the needs of the large number of designers who need basic network analysis tools, with the highest available levels of performance in their class, at a much lower cost than state-of-the-art instruments.
January 2004
