The Keysight N1046A is an electrical remote sampling head module engineered for signal integrity testing and characterization of high-speed digital and optical communication systems. It delivers direct or near-direct connection to the device under test, enabling exceptional signal acquisition up to 224 Gb/s and beyond. The module integrates with Keysight 86100D and N1000A series mainframes to form scalable multi-channel measurement systems.
Technical Specifications
Bandwidth
• 75 GHz, 85 GHz, or >100 GHz (upgradeable)
• Maximum bandwidth setting: 122 GHz recommended for peak performance; 100 GHz recommended for matched multi-channel operation
• Bandwidth characterized using NIST-traceable photodiode calibration to 110 GHz; performance beyond 110 GHz based on linear extrapolation
Electrical Interface
• Input connector: 1.0 mm female with 1.0 mm to 1.85 mm adapter
• Maximum input voltage: ±2 V (+16 dBm)
• Maximum connector torque: 4 in-lb (0.45 Nm)
Sampling Performance
• Sampling rate: 250 kSa/s
• Intrinsic jitter: 90–100 fs rms (specification varies; 100 fs rms with 86100D-PTB option)
• Channel density: 1, 2, or 4 electrical channels per module (user-selectable)
• System scalability: 1 to 16 channels when combined with multiple modules
Measurement Features
• Custom System Impulse Response Correction (SIRC) file per channel
• Low-noise sampling technology for high-precision acquisition
– Key Features
• Direct DUT connection minimizes signal integrity degradation
• Flexible channel configuration supports compact or distributed probe deployments
• Calibrated correction files optimize measurement accuracy across bandwidth range
– Typical Applications
• High-speed digital communications: 56G/112G PAM4, NRZ testing (400G/800G Ethernet, PCIe 6.0)
• Ultra-high-speed signal analysis: 224 Gb/s (112 GBd PAM4) and beyond
• Optical module characterization: coherent optical communication, DSP equalization analysis, TDECQ measurements
• Signal integrity validation across packages, PCBs, and interconnects
• NRZ and PAM4 signal analysis
– Compatibility & Integration
• Compatible with Keysight 86100D and N1000A series mainframes
• Supports multi-module configurations for expanded channel counts
