MIES, Switzerland -- Dispersion in optical fibers is the major hurdle to overcome when upgrading an optical network to 10 Gbit/s or above. Nowadays, network operators can choose from a variety of approaches to address dispersion issues, including optical or electronic compensation. However, in order to use any of these approaches, both Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) and Chromatic Dispersion (CD) need to be qualified.

The n-D2, a new dispersion analyzer from Luciol Instruments, is precisely designed for this task. It is the first field test, portable, single unit to measure both PMD and CD. It is based on ITU test methods: fixed analyzer for PMD; and amplitude modulation with phase shift detection for CD. It features Luciol’s high sensitivity and high speed photon-counting detection system. The source is a small, truly handheld unit. It simply has to be connected to the end of the fiber under test. At the other end, the receiver is a small module. It is available either as a standalone, with integrated PC and battery option, or can be connected to an external PC. The measurement of both PMD and CD only takes one single click and a few seconds.

Luciol Instruments SA