PROLITE-60 Optical Spectrum Analyser

May 2, 2006.

The PROLITE-60 is the first optical spectrum analyser truly portable, rough and battery operated available in the market at an attractive price. It is suitable for many applications.

The first and may be the most interesting today is WDM/CWDM telecom system test but using the various options and accessories available it is adequate for reflectometry, analysis of materials, fibre sensors, testing of photonic devices such as filters, attenuators, couplers, isolators and other optical components.

Until the arrival of WDM systems, the spectrum analysers were basically laboratory equipments, non portable and high cost. WDM systems demand multitude of field optical measurements and the laboratory optical analysers are not suitable for outdoor measurements.

The priority for the worldwide telecommunication operators is to make profitable the already existing optical networks. For it the first step is to increase its capacity. Current DWDM systems, can increase in one or two orders of magnitude the capacity from an already existing fibre.

In order to analyse the individual carriers optical spectrum analysers with resolutions below 1 nm are required. In the most advanced facilities, the separation between carriers goes from 0.8 nm (100 GHz of spacing channel) to 0.2 nm (25 GHz).

The optical spectrum analyser

Until the arrival of WDM systems, the spectrum analysers were basically laboratory equipments, non portable and high cost. WDM systems demand multitude of field optical measurements and the laboratory optical analysers are not suitable for outdoor measurements.

The priority for the worldwide telecommunication operators is to make profitable the already existing optical networks. For it the first step is to increase its capacity. Current DWDM systems, can increase in one or two orders of magnitude the capacity from an already existing fibre.

In order to analyse the individual carriers optical spectrum analysers with resolutions below 1 nm are required. In the most advanced facilities, the separation between carriers goes from 0.8 nm (100 GHz of spacing channel) to 0.2 nm (25 GHz).

PROLITE-60: The first truly portable

PROLITE-60 optical spectrum analyserThese measurements based on a high resolution optical spectral analysis and also with high accuracy have to be able to be carried out in any point of the network. By all it, the equipment for measuring, and more specifically, the spectrum analyser (OSA) that is oriented to applications in WDM networks, must be a portable instrument, robust, fast and easily of operating and with a moderate price.

Based on a spectrum analyser platform, the optical spectrum analyser PROLITE-60 allows to carry out automatic measurements in all the scopes of application,such as the analysis of the WDM signal in any point of the network or the characterisation of network components: Filters, amplifiers, multiplexers, DFB lasers, FB lasers and LEDs.

Spectrum of a measured WDM system using a PROLITE-60 from PROMAX
Spectrum of a measured WDM system
using a PROLITE-60 from PROMAX
Automatic measurement of a WDM system using a PROLITE-60
Automatic measurement of a WDM system
using a PROLITE-60

The spectral analysis in fibre optics networks is more and more necessary. WDM systems convert fibre optics to freeways of information with capacities up to 1Tb/s (1x1012b/s). Thanks to the spectrum available in the optical band, at the moment up to 200 lasers of different wavelength can be transmitted in a same fibre. For the test and maintenance of these networks it is fundamental to handle portable equipment. A new generation of field optical measuring equipment is now raising.

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PROMAX is a leading manufacturer of test and measurement systems, broadcast and TV signal distribution equipment. Our product lines include measuring instruments for cable TV, satellite TV, broadcast, wireless and fibre optics networks, FTTH and GPON analyzers. DVB-T modulators, IP streamers or IP converters (ASI, DVB-T) are among the company’s latest developments.