TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces Fastest, Most Versatile Lightwave Component Analyzer for Testing High-Speed Electro-Optical Components

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduced a lightwavecomponent analyzer that sets a new benchmark in optimizedfrequency-response characterization of key photonic components.Designed for emerging applications such as passive optical networks(CATV), 10GE and 40G in high-speed telecommunications and computernetworks, the Agilent N4373A LCA offers industry-leading versatility,measurement speed and reliability.

Research and development engineers will benefit from the LCA'sversatility and the specified measurement that delivers improvedproduction yield by low measurement uncertainty through specified NISTtraceability. This leads to lower investment costs and the fasterdevelopment cycles and time-to-market necessary to meet today'schallenges in broadband and access networks.

Manufacturing and support engineers will immediately see increasedproduction yield and throughput due to the measurement speed,specified analysis results and industry-leading product reliability --all of which lead to minimizing overall test costs.

The N4373A LCA extends Agilent's portfolio with NIST-traceableopto-electrical converters at wavelengths of 850 nm (multimode), 1310nm and 1550 nm (single-mode) for optical interfaces; and withdifferential and single-ended electrical interfaces for 3 GHz, 8.5GHz, 20 GHz or even up to 67.5 GHz. A single product solution providesanalysis for all network component categories (E/O, O/E and O/O) suchas laser drivers, amplifiers, lasers, transmitters, opticalmodulators, photodiodes and optical passive components. The analyzeroffers by special probe calibration features for testing thesecomponents over the full product life cycle, from wafer to subassemblystatus.

The linear transmission and reflection characteristicsmeasurements are based on Agilent's industry-leading network analyzerfamilies, providing full S-parameter analysis with calibration up tothe probing pins.

Benefits of the Agilent N4373A include:

-- 4x faster measurement speed than previous solution.

-- 40dB more sensitive conversion efficiency measurement.

-- Standardization of uncertainty by NIST traceability.

-- On-chip testing with 2dB better relative accuracy.

"The Agilent N4373A LCA is the enabling test tool for driving theeconomics and acceleration of the broadband infrastructure build-outat low cost," said Werner Berkel, vice president and general managerof Agilent's Photonic Measurement Division. "As the most versatile andfastest of its kind, the new lightwave component analyzer enableshigh-performance network component manufacturers to focus on fast,innovative product development and cost-effective production."

The LCA will be demonstrated for the first time here at theEuropean Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) today throughSept. 28.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent N4373A lightwave component analyzer is available nowat a starting price of $80,000. More information about the AgilentN4373A is available at www.agilent.com/comms/octsolutions. Photos ofthe product are available at www.agilent.com/find/lca_image.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is the world's premiermeasurement company and a technology leader in communications,electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had netrevenue of $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2004. Information about Agilentis available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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