Optical technology innovations extend from photonics integrated circuit wafer-level test to field-test applications and the cloud-based ecosystem. Effective optical test has implications for fields including edge computing, 400G/800G Ethernet, and 5G. Instrumentation extends from handheld optical-fiber multimeters to real-time and sampling oscilloscopes. OFC, The Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for March 8-12 in San Diego, will provide an opportunity to delve into these and other topics. Two companies who will participate in the event have highlighted their recent optical-test product introductions and previewed their plans for OFC.
Speaking for EXFO, Olivier Tremblay-Lavoie, portfolio marketing leader at the company, said, “Through 2019, we launched a series of new test solutions as well as improvements in terms of features and options both into our lab and field optical testing portfolios. I would especially highlight three specific aspect of our solution which are a direct reflection of EXFO’s DNA.”
First, Optical Explorer, released June 2019, is a handheld solution that evaluates the quality of fiber links in seconds, he said, adding that it closes the gap between traditional troubleshooting methodologies based on a power meter and VFL (visual fault locator) and methodologies based on more advanced test equipment, such as optical time-domain reflectometers (OTDRs), which requires more expertise.