The Agilent/Keysight 83446A is a lightwave clock/data receiver engineered to extract clock and data information from digitally modulated optical signals at SONET/SDH rates. Operating at 2.48832 Gb/s (OC-48/STM-16), the instrument integrates a high-gain avalanche photodiode, gain-controlled amplifier, and clock/data recovery hybrid to deliver clean, error-free outputs suitable for direct bit-error-ratio analysis on optical links.
Technical Specifications
• Data Rate: 2.48832 Gb/s (OC-48/STM-16) ±0.5%
• Wavelength Range: 1200–1600 nm (optimized for 1310 nm and 1550 nm)
• Optical Sensitivity: < −27 dBm; < −28 dBm (special conditions)
• Maximum Input Power: −9 dBm
• Input Return Loss: < −27 dB
• Bit Error Ratio: Better than 1E-10 (2^23-1 PRBS, 50% mark density)
• Clock Alignment: Nominally ±0.25 unit interval to data transitions
• Source Extinction Ratio: ≥ 8.2 dB at eye center
– Key Features
• High-sensitivity APD receiver with automatic gain control for unconditioned data monitoring
• Auxiliary electrical output for analog signal diagnostics
• Dual-mode operation: optical input (front panel) or electrical input (rear panel) with selector switch
• Fiber compatibility: 50/125 µm multimode and single-mode fibers
• Standard FC/PC optical connector; universal adapter compatible with Agilent 81000-series interfaces
• Electrical input path bypasses high-gain amplifier; external amplification recommended for low-power signals
– Typical Applications
• Integration with bit-error-ratio testers (Agilent 86130A, 71604B, 71612C; Keysight 86130A, 71612C; HP 71603B)
• SONET/SDH system acceptance testing and BER floor analysis
• Optical eye diagram analysis with sampling oscilloscopes
– Compatibility & Integration
Designed to ITU-T G.957, G.958, and Bellcore GR-253-CORE standards. Direct integration with Keysight/Agilent BERT platforms and optical test systems requiring OC-48/STM-16 receiver functionality.
