Full-wave characterisation device allows easy measurement of chromatic dispersion, which becomes increasingly problematic in high-speed DWDM fibre optic networks
The FTB-5800 chromatic dispersion analyser from Exfo is a high-performance test module contained inside the FTB-400 field-testing platform, useful for deployments and upgrades of high-speed DWDM networks.
As telecommunications carriers turn up data rates to 10 and 40Gb/s on their high-speed optical networks and as spacing becomes tighter in DWDM systems, physical limitations like chromatic dispersion become increasingly problematic.
Chromatic dispersion is a physical phenomenon inherent to optical fibre and optical components that causes information bits to spread along a network.
This degrades the quality of the transmission signal and, in turn, limits the transmission speed carried by optical networks.
"This latest addition to our product portfolio makes us the uncontested leader in dispersion testing," said Mario Larose, vice president of marketing at Exfo.
"We were the first to launch a portable polarisation mode dispersion analyser a few years ago, and now we have added a chromatic dispersion analyser.
"Carriers can now simultaneously perform all of their dispersion tests with a single rugged and portable platform." Historically, chromatic dispersion analysers have required communication through a source at one end of a link and a receiver at the other end to perform tests.
This meant that characterising links with one-way devices like isolators was impossible.
The FTB-5800 enables field technicians to test not only sections of a link but the entire link at once because it can sweep through amplifiers such as EDFAs.
In addition, it uses full-wavelength characterisation, not merely interpolation from a few acquired points.
Combined with the highly intuitive graphical user interface and all-in-one configuration of the FTB-400 platform, Exfo says the FTB-5800 module represents a best-of-class solution for high-end field testing.
"This new solution provides users with significant savings in terms of time and costs," Larose added.
"A lot of time can be wasted compiling the acquisitions for each section of a link, adding them up and ensuring there are no mistakes - an entire link can be tested using a single-button operation."
