Clock Extraction Module Boosts Comm Analysis Accuracy

For designers who must perform extremely accurate communications compliance testing, a plug-in module for Agilent's 86100C Infinium digital communications analyzer offers clock extraction for waveform analysis with very low residual jitter. The 83496A multirate optical/electrical clock recovery module features continuous, unbanded tuning from 50 Mbits/s to 13.5 Gbits/s.

Less than 300 fs of rms jitter results in negligible residual jitter of the output clock and precise measurements of very low levels of signal jitter. The module has a continuously adjustable loop bandwidth from 30 kHz to 6 MHz, making it ideal for jitter compliance testing across a wide range of industry standards.

In addition, the unit can function as a "golden PLL" (phase-locked loop) by setting its loop bandwidth to the exact value required for any data rate within its operating range. As a result, test systems can be designed according to the exact specifications of industry standards. This enhances measurement precision and significantly increases test margins.

The Agilent 83496A starts at $18,000. The Infinium DCA-J mainframe starts at $17,500.

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