Keysight Technologies has launched the N4378A, an optical component analyzer supporting measurements up to 220 GHz, to meet the demand for verifying ultra-high-speed optical transceiver components. This move comes in response to the growing need to precisely measure electrical-optical conversion components, such as optical modulators and photodetectors, at higher frequency bands as the spread of AI and machine learning increases connection speeds within data centers.

Keysight announced the launch of this product on the 12th and unveiled the equipment for the first time at OFC 2026, held in Los Angeles, USA, from March 17 to 19. The company explained that the equipment is designed to be used in the design and verification process of next-generation 1.6T and 3.2T optical transceiver components.

The key feature of the N4378A is that it provides fully calibrated S-parameter measurements up to 220 GHz. S-parameters are numerical indicators of the characteristics of high-frequency signals passing through or reflecting off a component, and are used to verify the actual operation of optical communication components. Keysight stated that this instrument supports single-sweep broadband measurements at 1310nm and 1550nm wavelengths, enabling it to cover a wide range of areas including not only the O-band for data centers but also the C/L-band used for terrestrial and submarine communications.

The configuration combines Keysight's PNA-X vector network analyzer and frequency extender. It is used with a newly designed optical test head and supports differential measurement, enabling verification of dual-drive optical modulators. Additionally, a quick-release mechanism is applied to protect the 0.5mm coaxial connection, reducing the risk of damage that may occur when moving the equipment during calibration and measurement processes.

This equipment launch aligns with the trend of data center infrastructure demanding higher bandwidth and lower latency. As optical transceiver speeds increase, it becomes critical to reduce the discrepancy between design-stage simulation results and actual measurements; Keysight appears to have focused on expanding measurement ranges and advancing analysis software to address this. This demonstrates that the verification framework for high-speed optical interconnection technologies, which will connect AI servers and switches in the future, is becoming increasingly refined, extending beyond just the performance of the optical components themselves.