W1 coaxial components and Access Master MT9085 series from Anritsu

Anritsu has recently introduced W1 coaxial components that are metrology-grade designed and manufactured to deliver precision performance and repeatability for high-frequency measurements. Comprising a W1 connectorized power splitter, power divider, directional coupler, and attenuators, the new family removes measurement complexity, reduces measurement set up time, and improves accuracy, making them a superior alternative to millimeter-interfaced solutions.

Unlike other solutions that are based on banded waveguide frequencies that require a waveguide interface, the W1 components are not band limited and support a frequency range from DC to 110 GHz. The industry-best frequency coverage eliminates the need to de-embed adapters between native coaxial interface types, thereby removing the need for calibrations between coax and waveguide. The result is a solution that saves time and money, and is more efficient.

Anritsu’s new W1 components include a three-resistor power divider, two-resistor power splitter, and a set of attenuators that provide coverage from DC to 110 GHz, along with a 20–110 GHz directional coupler with typical performance down to 110 MHz. Because the components are designed with W1 connectors (1.0 mm compatible) intended for broadband scalability and mode-free performance to 125 GHz, measurement accuracy is improved for better device under test (DUT) characterization. They are designed to perform with excellent VSWR and low insertion loss.

The high performance of the W1 connectors makes them well-suited for a variety of high-frequency designs. They can be used for on-wafer characterization and measurements; to characterize amplifiers and sub components in automotive radar; and for instrument calibration and characterization in metrology labs.

Access Master MT9085 series. The company has also launched the Access Master MT9085 series of handheld testers that provides accuracy and broad measurement capability during installation and maintenance of fiber optic cable in LTE and 5G backhaul, as well as metro and core networks. Maintaining the portability, performance, and operability of the field-proven Access Master platform, the new MT9085 series incorporates a wide 8-inch color touchscreen for enhanced operation, as well as integrates Anritsu’s innovative fiber visualizer as a standard feature.

The built-in 8-inch touchscreen, rotary knob, and hard keys of the Access Master MT9085 series improve OTDR waveform analysis for unprecedented ease of use, helping cut on-site work time. Further simplifying verification and reducing test time is the fiber visualizer. Field technicians can use the tool to display fiber events, such as splices, connectors, and splitters, as a schematic map. By eliminating complex operations, such as reading and analyzing optical waveforms, the fiber visualizer allows technicians at any experience level to conduct high-quality fiber measurements and pass/fail evaluations. In addition, automatic pass/fail evaluation based on preset threshold values reduces operator evaluation errors.

Highly accurate event detection is achieved with the Access Master MT9085 series. It combines all the functions to install and maintain optical cable in today’s high-bandwidth applications. In addition to a full-feature OTDR, the Access Master MT9085 series can conduct optical power loss measurements and fiber far-end detection. The portable field tester is designed with a unique algorithm that detects fiber events with high accuracy in complex passive optical networks (PONs) to reduce on-site workloads. It features high-speed, high-quality real-time waveforms, short dead zone of ≤8 m, high dynamic range of ≥46 dB, and support for both single-mode optical fiber (SMF) and multi-mode optical fiber (MMF) waveforms.

A flexible platform allows functionality to be easily added to the Access Master MT9085 series. A high-performance optical power meter, visible light source, and optical fiber end-face inspection function VIP (video inspection probe) can be integrated into the platform to create a complete all-in-one toolkit for fiber installation and maintenance. Measurement results can be managed easily at the central office using WLAN and bluetooth connections.