How accurate are the 8614X OSAs after calibrating with the wavelength calibrator, Option 006?

The wavelength calibrator, Option 006, increases the optical spectrum analyzer's accuracy to better than +/-50m wavelength accuracy for the 86140/42/43/45A OSAs, better than +/-10pm for the 86140/42/43/45B OSAs. The wavelength calibrator is based on an Acetylene gas absorption cell. The Acetylene gas absorbs light at a very specific wavelength based on the atomic properties of gas. The cell is illuminated by an internal EELED and the OSA uses the absorption pits to perform a wavelength calibration. Since the Acetylene gas cell is a physical constant it never needs calibrating.

The value of the wavelength calibrator is that it is an internal reference. To achieve the above accuracy without the calibrator, the user would have to buy a multi-wavelength meter and a tunable laser source. Refer to the Wavelength Calibration for the 8614XB Series Optical Spectrum Analyzers under Application Notes for more information on Wavelength Calibration. Wavelength Calibration for the 8614XB Series Optical Spectrum Analyzers