Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) has introduced the N4378A Lightwave Component Analyzer (LCA), a test platform offering fully calibrated S-parameter measurements up to 220 GHz. The system is designed to help engineers address the increasing testing demands of next-generation optical components for AI workloads and high-performance data center networks.
Driven by the growth of AI and machine learning applications, data center networks are transitioning to higher data rates, requiring precise characterization of electro-optical (E/O) and opto-electronic (O/E) components at increasingly higher frequencies. The N4378A LCA integrates with Keysight’s PNA-X Vector Network Analyzer and frequency extenders, providing a scalable solution for single-sweep broadband measurements up to 220 GHz at both 1310 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths.
The platform is complemented by enhanced software that simplifies setup and improves measurement confidence. Advanced guidance and analysis capabilities assist engineers in validating component performance, reducing design risks, and accelerating product development cycles. The system supports O-band data center interconnects as well as C- and L-band terrestrial and submarine applications, while differential measurement capabilities enable validation of next-generation dual-drive optical modulators.
The N4378A LCA also incorporates mechanical features that protect sensitive 0.5 mm coaxial connections, allowing safe repositioning between calibration and measurement with a quick-release fixture. Keysight collaborated with industry partners on RF probes, coaxial adapters, and test cables to provide a complete 0.5 mm coaxial ecosystem for high-frequency optical testing.
“With the introduction of Keysight’s 220 GHz Lightwave Component Analyzer, we are enabling the industry to validate transceiver component designs for next-generation optical interconnects,” said Dr. Joachim Peerlings, Vice President of Network and Data Center Solutions at Keysight. “By combining industry-leading optical bandwidth with wideband wavelength coverage and a robust coaxial ecosystem, engineers can correlate simulation with real-world measurements and accelerate time-to-market.”
As AI and cloud infrastructures continue to push bandwidth and complexity limits, Keysight’s photonics test solutions aim to provide engineers with the tools to explore new design frontiers. The N4378A LCA is positioned as a platform to advance optical interconnect performance, supporting the next era of high-speed data center innovation.
