Aragon Photonics manufactures a non-regular optical spectrum analyzer, but an ultra-high resolution one. The technology behind is based on the Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS). A purely optical and extremely sharp filtering effect is performed in our BOSA.
WHAT IS AN OPTICAL SPECTRUM ANALYZER?
An Optical Spectrum Analyzer (or OSA) measures the power of an optical source along a certain wavelength (or frequency) range. This is what we call the spectrum. It can be depicted as a tunable optical filter through which a signal under test (SUT) passes finally reaching a photodetector for optical power detection.
Key Specifications for Optical Spectrum Analyzers Models
- Resolution: how the system resolves the power axis. It’s given as full width half maximum (FWHM) or filter width at 3 dB.
- Dynamic range: from maximum to minimum power levels the system can resolve.
- Wavelength range: from minimum to maximum wavelength available for power measurement.
- Wavelength repeatability: wavelength difference between two measurements. It’s a very important parameter in a high resolution OSA.
- Scanning speed: velocity at which the instrument scans or refreshes.
- Filter sharpness: how the system resolves the power down to the noise floor. It’s also known as close in dynamic range, given as filter width at 40 dB or 60 dB.
- Wavelength accuracy: how precise the system is in the wavelength (or frequency) axis.
- Spurious-free dynamic range: dynamic range with no spurious or artifacts. This parameter is related with the reliability of the instrument.
OUR TECHNOLOGY
BOSA unique filter gets advantage of the SBS as the optical filter. A continuous sweeping tunable laser source (TLS) performs the scanning.
By pumping the SBS with the TLS the filter is swept along the spectral region of interest, the backscattered light gives the filtered information of the signal under test (SUT). After fast photodetection and low noise acquisition we obtain the high-resolution optical spectrum.
The Brillouin threshold, key of reliability. SBS gain enhances the dynamic range of the measurement compared to passive filtering, and the threshold imposed by SBS eliminates all the spurious effects of the local oscillator sidemodes and line shape that produce measurement artifacts in heterodyne or coherence detection OSAs. Thus, BOSA is the most reliable OSA in the market.
OSA Technologies comparison
Among all the different optical spectrum analysis technologies available in commercial devices, there are some that stand out for their scanning speed and wavelength range or their resolution and spurious range.
BOSA has the sharpest filter of all OSAs:
- 10 MHz resolution, purely optical. 250 times higher than conventionals OSAs.
- True resolution: No deconvolution or postprocessing to increase resolution.
- Very narrow down to the noise floor.
BOSA has a unique spurious-free performance:
- >80 dB SFDR. 30 dB higher than other technologies typically.
- No artifacts or spurious inside the spectra.
- Maximum reliability. All you see belongs to your signal.
BOSA has the best wavelength precision in OSA market:
- ±0.5 pm wavelength accuracy. Best value in the market.
- It allows precise wavelength characterization of your optical signals.
- Wavelength drifting measurement.
BOSA Series
Find out the main features, software utilities and upgradable options of all the different BOSA models. Which one fits your needs better?
SBS Applications
Whether working on advanced modulation formats, quantum optics, or passive devices characterization, in R&D or production, get advantage of the BOSA performance.