Optical Calibration

Instrument
N1000A
N109x
Flex Apps:
FlexDCA

An optical calibration calibrates an optical input channel at a specific wavelength on modules installed in a N1000A's module bay as well as DCA-M modules. For a N109X-series DCA-M modules and modules installed in a N1000A's module bay, you can use this calibrations at both factory and user wavelengths. If you perform an optical channel calibration at a factory-calibrated wavelength, the factory calibration will not be overwritten. The calibrations for two-slot modules are stored on the N1000A's hard drive and not on the module.

Calibration commands correspond to the features in the Calibration dialog. You can click on the tabs in this picture to learn about the different calibrations.

Some older installed modules, such as the 86105C, do not support a user factory calibration.

Factory and user optical channel calibrations (also known as O/E calibration) compensate for the photo detector responsivity. This provides both an accurate display of the received optical waveform in optical power units and an accurate measurement of the signal's average power. If you will be operating at wavelengths different from the factory-calibrated wavelengths, perform a user optical channel calibration at the desired wavelength. An external CW optical source must be used, and the wavelength and power of the optical source must be entered for the calibration. The user-defined wavelength must be within the wavelength ranges specific to each module. For example, if you are operating the N1090A DCA-M module, you can select a user-defined wavelength between 750 nm and 1650 nm. The power output from the optical source must also be within the ranges specific to each module.

You can create up to three user calibrations: User Cal 2, User Cal 3, and User Cal 4. User Cal 1 is reserved for any user calibration that was stored on the module with the N1000A's legacy user calibration. Stored user calibrations can be deleted from memory using by clicking the Clear button.

Use the following commands to query the status of the calibrations:

Optical Calibration Requirements
Module Calibrate From Factory
Calibrated
Wavelength(s)
Source Optical Power Level
FlexDCA N1000A Allowable To Meet Specifications
N1092A/B/C/D/E 850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
500 μW to 2.5 mW
500 μW to 2.5 mW
500 μW to 2.5 mW
500 μW to 1 mW
500 μW to 1 mW
500 μW to 1 mW
N1090A 850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
375 μW to 425 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
375 μW to 425 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
86116C 1300 nm
1620 nm
500 μW to 6 mW
500 μW to 6 mW
500 μW to 6 mW
500 μW to 6 mW
86115D 850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
800 μW to 2000 μW
500 μW to 1500 μW
500 μW to 1500 μW
800 μW to 1500 μW
500 μW to 1000 μW
500 μW to 1000 μW
86105D 850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
800 μW to 2000 μW
500 μW to 1500 μW
500 μW to 1500 μW
800 μW to 1500 μW
500 μW to 1000 μW
500 μW to 1000 μW
86105C 850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
375 μW to 425 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
375 μW to 425 μW
175 μW to 225 μW
175 μW to 225 μW