N7742C and N7743C Optical Power Meters

General Information

With the new N7742C and N7743C, Keysight extends the functionality of the popular N774-C optical power meter family. These new instruments offer models for wider wavelength range, higher power levels, analog feedback and finer granularity of port count, while keeping the speed and logging performance of the well established N7744C and N7745C.

Optional extended wavelength range

In addition to the standard operating wavelength range of 1250 nm to 1650 nm for both N7742C and N7743C (options #200, #400), this can be extended down to 800 nm with options #210 and #410.

Analog output port perfect for automated alignment

All N7742C and N7743C optical power meters provide an analog voltage output that can be used as feedback for automated alignment applications. The voltage on each channel’s analog output port is configurable to be linearly or logarithmically proportional to the optical power level. The new logarithmic mode is very helpful for tracking the signal level over a wide dynamic range, like during probe adjustment.

N7743C High-Power Optical Power Meter

For measuring optical power levels above +10 dBm, the N7743C is a good fit to devices like transmitter lasers, with +20 dBm maximum input power. The dark noise level is less than 30 pW, providing over 90 dB dynamic range. This provides an intermediate performance alternative to the remote heads, like the 81626C or 81628C that cover still higher power levels.

Two and four port with user-exchangeable connector receptacles

Both, N7742C and N7743C are available with two (option #200, #210) or four power sensor channels (option #400, #410). The connector style can be configured individually for each port by choosing from a range of user-exchangeable N7742-I connector interfaces.

Members of a growing family

The N7742C and N7743C benefit from the N77-C’s family-wide, common trigger concept, and a modern, browser-accessible user interface, that makes it convenient to configure the instrument’s functionality. High-speed measurement data acquisition, faster data interfaces, the use of dual-ported RAM for uninterrupted simultaneous measurement and readout, and fast power range switching help avoid unnecessary delays in the measurement process as well as in post-processing.

Key Benefits

High-speed measurement data acquisition for swept-wavelength and transient measurements

• Short minimum averaging time of 1 µs and up to 250 kHz bandwidth

• Data acquisition with up to 1 Million samples per second and per port

• Memory for 1 M samples/port plus 1 M/port buffer for continuous logging with up to 3x faster data transfer

• Frequency response matched to averaging time and stable dark-current zeroing provide high dynamic range without distorting filter shapes at high sweep speed

Ideal for automated and semi-automated alignment applications

• Analog output port with linear or logarithmic feedback signal

• Standard BNC connector with 0 V to 2 V output

Flexibility

• Connector adapters support FC, SC, LC, and ST connectors and are individually configurable

• The instrument can be controlled via LAN and USB

• The comprehensive hardware and trigger concept along with its large memory storage gives the flexibility to adapt the power meter to many test needs

• The instrument programming code is compatible to the Lightwave solution platform

Fast swept-wavelength measurements with high dynamic range

For lower port counts, the new N7742C and N7743C are alternative offers for the N7744C and N7745C multiport power meters in swept-wavelength applications: Controlled by the photonic application software suite they can perform spectral measurements of insertion loss and polarization dependent loss when combined with Keysight tunable lasers and a polarization synthesizer. Accelerated concurrent power ranging and bi-directional wavelength sweeping enable high-throughput testing and fast update rates in alignment and adjustment processes. The photonic application software suite has a measurement engine for IL and PDL that can combine the sweeps of up to 3 tunable laser wavelength ranges. See the photonic application software suite brochure for details. www.keysight.com/find/n7700.