PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A - News) today introduced the industry's highest power compact tunable laser source for testing next-generation optical communications devices. The test solution helps component manufacturers speed development and lower cost of test for optical devices required for wireline networks. It provides twice the power of current lasers, which makes it the best available stimulus for optical amplifier test and measurement of nonlinear effects in metro, DWDM and 40 Gb/s components and applications. The Agilent 819xxA high-power compact tunable laser source improves the test of all types of optical amplifiers and other active components as well as broadband passive optical components. It lowers test costs, as manufacturers of optical components, network elements and transmission systems no longer need to add an additional booster EDFA (Erbium-doped fiber amplifier). An optical output power of +13 dBm and a SBS (stimulated Brillouin scattering) suppression feature allows high-launch powers in optical fibers, enabling testing of nonlinear effects in fibers and transmission links. The high-output power helps overcome losses in test setups or in the device under test itself. Thus, engineers can test optical amplifiers such as EDFAs, Raman amplifiers, SOAs and EDWAs to their limits. A wide wavelength coverage of 110 nm within S- ,C- and L-band, together with a compact modular design, reduce cost per channel in DWDM test configuration. The instrument's integrated dynamic wavelength and power control mechanisms improve on Agilent's standard-setting swept wavelength concept and assure accurate wavelength and power repeatability for broadband passive component test. "Although reducing cost of test remains a primary concern for optical manufacturers, next-generation intelligent optical networking requires advanced and highly integrated intelligent devices," said Werner Berkel, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Optical Communication Measurement Division. "The new high-power compact tunable laser source adds the capability to test nonlinear devices to our existing line of tunable laser sources. The solution enhances test of amplifiers and enables advanced, low-cost test of cutting-edge technology and next-generation devices." Agilent Technologies Inc.