Real-time oscilloscopes with 63-GHz true analog bandwidth

April 11, 2012 // Jean-Pierre Joosting

Agilent Technologies has introduced the Infiniium 90000 Q-Series oscilloscopes with industry-leading, real-time bandwidth of 63 GHz on two channels and 33 GHz on four channels. The lineup includes 10 four-channel models ranging from 20 GHz to 63 GHz, all of which are bandwidth upgradeable. These scopes claim the lowest noise and have the lowest jitter measurement floor in the oscilloscope industry, ensuring superior measurement accuracy.

“The 90000 Q-Series represents another breakthrough for Agilent Infiniium oscilloscopes,” said Jay Alexander, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Oscilloscope Products Division. “In the last five years, we have introduced oscilloscopes with the deepest memory, the lowest noise floor and the highest bandwidth. The 90000 Q-Series is the culmination of all these innovations, and it features all three industry-leading characteristics to help engineers design and validate devices that use emerging technologies.”

At its maximum bandwidth the Q-Series breaks the 60-GHz barrier, with a -3 dB point of 63 GHz. The 33-GHz model allows engineers to simultaneously trigger on and capture signals on all four channels with no compromise. These two specifications allow the oscilloscopes to make measurements on devices designed to conform to emerging standards.

The scopes enable the direct digitization of M-band signals (60 GHz to 100 GHz) and the capture of the third harmonic on 28-, 32- and 40-Gbps digital signals.Other key capabilities include the analysis of IEEE 802.3ba 40/100/400-GbE and Optical Internetworking Forum CEI 3.0 signals, measurement of up to four differential channels in a single acquisition for unraveling difficult cross-talk problems, and direct measurement of voltage swings larger than 1-V when high-bandwidth and general-purpose measurements need to be made with the same instrument.

Evaluation units have already been generating positive feedback indicating this technology development will lead to breakthrough ideas and concepts.

“Based on early prototypes from Agilent that we were able to use for initial testing, our team progressed toward taking the next steps in high-data-rate coherent detection research,” said Dr. Peter Winzer of Bell Labs.

The 90000 Q-Series improves upon Agilent’s use of custom integrated circuits and multichip module packaging with an exclusive new technology called RealEdge. RealEdge comprises a combination of new architectures, next-generation microcircuits and thin-film components, and advanced application of Agilent’s indium phosphide semiconductor process. This technology enables high-frequency capability while maintaining the industry’s lowest noise and jitter measurement floor (75 fs).

The 90000 Q-Series allows engineers to take advantage of many years of industry-leading hardware and software advancements in Agilent’s Infiniium oscilloscopes. These advancements include seamless integration of elements such as the InfiniiMax III probing technology for bandwidths up to 30 GHz; compatibility with more than 40 measurement-specific application packages, including jitter, triggering, measurement, analysis tools and full compliance certification test suites; and the ability to join multiple Q-Series oscilloscopes together using the company’s exclusive software to form a system of 40 channels or more.

Further, InfiniiView software lets engineers analyze data using oscilloscope software on a PC or laptop instead of tying up the instrument for analysis, while N2807A PrecisionProbe Advanced software helps engineers characterize and correct for cables to the full 63 GHz.

The Infiniium 90000 Q-Series oscilloscopes depict digital edges more accurately than competitive oscilloscopes, thanks in large part to its low intrinsic jitter and noise floor. This increased measurement accuracy returns critical design margin to engineers. The 90000 Q-Series features the following industry-leading specifications: rise time of <7 ps, noise floor of 4.4 mV at 50 mV/div, 63 GHz, and jitter measurement floor around 75 femtoseconds.

www.agilent.com

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