Fremont, CA, June 16,
2003 - Optoplex Corporation
announced today that it has developed the Scanning-Lock
filter. This product addresses applications that require
noise-suppression of a light system and is aimed at automated
production testing of transponders (transceivers or lasers),
especially tunable transponders, used for optical communication
networks. With optical transport technology being pushed
towards the edges of the networks, the demand and the
production of transponders will dramatically increase.
The Scanning-Lock filter will bring tremendous benefit
to transponder production.
To effectively accomplish the rigorous
bit-error rate test (BERT) of a transponder under the
presence of optical noise, the light must first pass through
a narrow-band filter before it is sent to the test equipment.
Otherwise, undesired optical noise will deteriorate the
results of BERT. Currently, such testing of transponders
at the manufacturing level is complex and labor intensive.
Usually an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) is used to
first scan the spectrum to determine the peak wavelength
of the light source, and then a fixed filter (chosen from
an array of different filters) is manually inserted in
the optical path to remove undesired noise sources (see
diagram below). In today’s low-volume production
where one testing station needs to handle multiple products
with varying wavelength, a technology that can automate
transponder testing is very attractive.
Scanning-Lock filter automates the process
and solves all identified issues but at a fraction of
the cost. Upon receiving a GUI command, the Scanning-Lock
filter automatically scans over the spectrum to determine
the peak intensity and then stops such that the filter
centers itself spectrally around the transmitter beam
to minimize signal distortions. With the correct filter
profile most of the outside spectral noise would be eliminated
automatically. This locking routine can be programmed
to operate continuously so that no frequency stabilization
of the transmitter is required during the testing. This
new product allows automated testing of transponders,
which significantly simplifies the testing procedures,
shortens the production cycle time and provides major
cost reductions.
Scanning-Lock filter is based on Optoplex’s
patented tunable filter platform (which has been used
in its tunable
optical add/drop multiplexer (TOADM) and optical
performance monitor (OPM)).
General Product Features
• Completes channel scan and locks into the specific
channel within a few seconds;
• Reports channel power and wavelength after scanning;
• Users can fine-tune the filter position locally;
• Stays at the target channel after scan even without
power supply — Latched device;
• Flat-top filter shape allows testing of the bit
rate up to 10 Gb/s;
• Polarization insensitive;
• Covers C or L band; C+L Band device will be available
soon;
• Includes RS-232 interface and driving software
for easy installation and operation;
