Agilent 86120C Multi-Wavelength Meter User’s Guide
 Second Edition 86120-90C03 August
 Agilent 86120C-At a Glance
Characterize laser lines easily
 Print measurement results
Program the instrument for automatic measurements
 Measurement accuracy-it’s up to you
 General Safety Considerations
There is no output laser aperture
 WA R N I N G
 Viii
 Contents
 Performance Tests
 Contents-3
Page
 Getting Started
 Getting Started
 Measurement accuracy-it’s up to you
 Inspect the Shipment
 Connect the Line- Power Cable
Line Power Requirements
 Connect a Printer
 Turn on the Agilent 86120C
Instrument firmware version
 Enter Your Elevation
Converting feet to meters
 Select Medium for Wavelength Values
Definition of standard air
 Turn Off Wavelength Limiting
 Returning the Instrument for Service
 Preparing the instrument for shipping
 Returning the Instrument for Service
 Returning the Instrument for Service
 Returning the Instrument for Service
Page
 Making Measurements
 Making Measurements
 Measuring Wavelength and Power
This section includes
 Peak WL mode
To display peak wavelength and power
 Measuring Wavelength and Power
 List by WL or Power modes
To display multiple laser lines
 Total power and average wavelength
 Limiting the wavelength measurement range
To display average wavelength and total power
To limit the wavelength range
 Measuring broadband devices and chirped lasers
To measure broadband devices
 To see the graphical display
Graphical display of optical power spectrum
Agilent 86120C graphical display
 Power bar
To control the power bar
Instrument states
To save an instrument state
 Changing the Units and Measurement Rate
Displayed units
To change the units of measure
Available Units
 Measurement rate
 To change the measurement speed
Continuous or single measurements
To select single measurement acquisition
 Defining Laser- Line Peaks
 To define laser- line peaks
 If too many lines are identified
 Measuring Laser Separation
 Channel separation
 To measure channel separation
 Measuring flatness
To measure flatness
 Measuring Laser Drift
 To measure drift
If measurement updating stops or the values become blanked
 Measuring Laser Drift
 Measuring Signal- to- Noise Ratios
Signal-to-noise display
 Location of noise measurements
 Automatic interpolation
Repetitive data formats
 To measure signal- to- noise
 Measuring Signal- to- Noise Ratios with Averaging
Signal-to-noise with averaging display
 To measure signal- to- noise with averaging
Press List by WL or List by Power
 Measuring Fabry- Perot FP Lasers
To characterize a Fabry- Perot laser
 P
 PWR
 Measuring Modulated Lasers
 Prbs modulation graph showing raised noise floor
 Measuring Total Power Greater than 10 dBm
To measure total power exceeding 10 dBm
 Calibrating Measurements
 To enter the elevation
To select the medium for light
 Printing Measurement Results
To create a hardcopy
 Cleaning Connections for Accurate Measurements
Choosing the Right Connector
 Basic components of a connector
 Universal adapters to Diamond HMS-10
 Inspecting Connectors
 Clean, problem-free fiber end and ferrule
 Damage from improper cleaning
 Measuring insertion loss and return loss
 Cleaning Connectors
Visual inspection of fiber ends
 Cleaning Accessories
To clean a non- lensed connector
Dust Caps Provided with Lightwave Instruments
 To clean an adapter
Universal adapters
 Cleaning Connections for Accurate Measurements
 Programming
 Where to begin…
Types of commands
 Addressing and Initializing the Instrument
Remote mode and front- panel lockout
Initialize the instrument at start of every program
 Set single acquisition mode
To change the Gpib address
 Making Measurements
 Making Measurements
 Commands are grouped in subsystems
Unit
 Commands for Capturing Data
 Measurement instructions give quick results
MEASure command
Different Forms of MEASure
 Read command
FETCh command
 CONFigure command
Return single or multiple measurement values
 ARRay and the Scpi standard
 Or, the *WAI command could be used
 Measure delta, drift, and signal- to- noise
 Format of returned data
Measurements are returned as strings
Determine the number of data points
Data can be corrected for elevation and vacuum
 Monitoring the Instrument
 Status registers
Status Byte register
 Monitoring the Instrument
 OPERation Status and QUEStionable Status registers
Bits in Operation Status Register
 Bits in Questionable Status Register
Standard Event Status register
 Enabling register bits with masks
 Queues
Error queue
Output queue
 Scpi command are grouped in subsystems
Sending a command
Reviewing Scpi Syntax Rules
Use either short or long forms
 Combine commands in the same subsystem
Examples of Short Forms
Equivalent Short Form
You can use upper or lowercase letters
 Combine commands from different subsystems
Sending common commands
Adding parameters to a command
White space
 28E2 280E-1 28000m 028K 28E-3K
Suffix Multipliers
 Program message terminator
Querying data
 Errormsg subroutine
Example Programs
Many subroutines are repeated in the examples
Setese subroutine
 FNIdentity function
Errmngmt subroutine
Cmdopc subroutine
Tempo subroutine
 OFF Timeout
Example 1. Measure a DFB laser
 Fnend
 Example 2. Measure WDM channels
 COM /Instrument/ @Mwm Output @Mwm *ESEIVAL00110100,2
 Example 3. Measure WDM channel drift
Query the number of data points
 Turn off drift reference state
 CmdopcSUB CmdopcSetcmd$
 Example 4. Measure WDM channel separation
Query number of data points
 Next
 Turn signal-to-noise ratio on
 Next Stop
 Example 6. Increase a source’s wavelength accuracy
 Set wavelength of tunable laser source
 Lists of Commands
10. Programming Commands 1
 10. Programming Commands 2
 10. Programming Commands 3
 10. Programming Commands 4
Frequency DISPlayMARKerMAXimumNEXT
 AIR SENSeDATA?
 11. Keys Versus Commands 1
∆ WL
 11. Keys Versus Commands 2
 Lists of Commands
 Programming Commands
 Programming Commands
12. Notation Conventions and Definitions
 Common Commands
CLS
 Query Response
13. Event Status Enable Register
Example
 ESR?
14. Standard Event Status Register
 IDN?
 OPC
 15. Conditions Set by *RST Reset 1
RST
 15. Conditions Set by *RST Reset 2
SAV
 16. Service Request Enable Register
SRE
 Integer from 0 to 63 or from 128 to
 STB?
17. Status Byte Register
 TRG
 WAI
 Measurement Instructions
 POWer? FREQuency? WAVelength? WNUMber?
 MEASureARRay SCALar POWer?
CONFigure command
Displays the highest power signal
MINimum Displays the lowest power signal DEFault
 88346500E+000
 MEASureARRay SCALar POWerFREQuen- cy?
MINimum
 MAXimum Resolution fast update
DEFault Current marker position
MINimum Resolution normal DEFault Current resolution
 MEASureARRay SCALar POWerWAVe- length?
 MEASSCALPOWWAV? MAX is sent
 MEASureARRay SCALar POWerWNUMber?
 If the MEASSCALPOWWNUM? 6451 command is sent, and a
 CALCulate1 Subsystem
FREQuency POINts
 DATA?
 Frequency = 181,6915 THz + 2, 9993,613378 GHz = 192,5280 THz
 CALCulate1 Subsystem
 Non-sequential command
TRANsformFREQuencyPOINts
Constant Description MINimum 525 MAXimum 15,047
3-12 for more information
 For normal update
 CALCulate2 Subsystem
STATe
STATe STARt FREQuency WAVelength WNUMber
FREQuency WAVelength WNUMber
 POWer
Weighted average wave number is returned
Constant Description FREQuency
Average frequency is returned
 PEXCursion
Syntax
Attribute
Summary
 PTHReshold
POINts?
Constant Value MINimum MAXimum 40 dB
 DEFault 10 dB
PWAVerageSTATe
 CALCulate2 Subsystem
 WLIMitSTATe
 WLIMitSTARtFREQuency
3-12for more information
 WLIMitSTARtWAVelength
 WLIMitSTARtWNUMber
 WLIMitSTOPFREQuency
 WLIMitSTOPWAVelength
 WLIMitSTOPWNUMber
 CALCulate3 Subsystem
DIFFerence STATe MAXimum MINimum PRESet REFerence
CLEar COUNt STATe
 WAVelength? FREQuency? WNUMber?
WAVelength? FREQuency? WNUMber? POWer? SIGMa
REFerence FREQuency WAVelength WNUMber STATe
 ASNRCLEar
 ASNRCOUNt
Constant Description MINimum MAXimum 900
 ASNRSTATe
Tion on selecting measurements
 Completed
Argument Description POWer
Is completed
 DELTaPOWerSTATe
DELTaPRESet
 DELTaREFerenceFREQuency
DELTaREFerencePOWer?
Constant
 DELTaREFerenceWAVelength
 DELTaREFerenceWNUMber
Measurement
 DELTaWAVelengthSTATe
An absolute frequency unnormalized
 DELTaWPOWerSTATe
 DRIFtDIFFerenceSTATe
 Imum power and frequency
DRIFtMAXimumSTATe
 Imum power or frequency
DRIFtMINimumSTATe
 DRIFtPRESet
DRIFtREFerenceRESet
 DRIFtREFerenceSTATe
 DRIFtSTATe
 FPERotSTATE
FPERotFWHM?
Argument Description WAVelength
Modes
 FPERotMEAN?
 FPERotMODESPACing?
 FPERotPEAK?
Watts
 FPERotPOWer?
Argument Description
DBm DBM
Watts WATTs
 FPERotSIGMa?
 PRESet
 Snrauto
Selects user-entered reference frequency
 SNRREFerenceFREQuency
 SNRREFerenceWAVelength
 SNRREFerenceWNUMber
 SNRSTATe
 CONFigure Measurement Instruction
 PREVious RIGHt
DISPlay Subsystem
GRAPhics STATe
 MARKerMAXimum
MARKerMAXimumLEFT
 MARKerMAXimumNEXT
MARKerMAXimumPREVious
 MARKerMAXimumRIGHt
WINDowGRAPhicsSTATe
 FETCh Measurement Instruction
 HCOPy Subsystem
IMMediate
 MEASure Measurement Instruction
 Read Measurement Instruction
 SENSe Subsystem
DEVice ELEVations MEDium OFFSet MAGNitude
 CORRectionDEVice
Constant Description NARRow
As DFB lasers and modes of FP lasers
BROad
 CORRectionELEVation
0Description
 Selects wavelength values in standard air
CORRectionMEDium
VACuum Selects wavelength values in a vacuum
 CORRectionOFFSetMAGNitude
 For 30 or 40 seconds
 000,+1.48632800E+000,+1.50488300E+000
 CONDition? ENABle EVENt? PTRansition NTRansition
STATus Subsystem
 OPERation QUEStionableCONDition?
 OPERation QUEStionableENABle
 OPERation QUEStionableEVENt
 OPERation QUEStionableNTRansition
 OPERation QUEStionablePTRansition
 18. Preset Values
 SYSTem Subsystem
HEADers?
 ERRor
 HELPHEADers?
Can only be sent as a query
 19. Instrument Conditions 1
 19. Instrument Conditions 2
 VERSion
20. Scpi Version Numbers
 TRIGger Subsystem
 ABORt
 INITiateCONTinuous
 INITiateIMMediate
 POWer
Unit Subsystem
 108
 Performance Tests
 Performance Tests
Calibration Cycle
 Be damaged when total input power exceeds 18 dBm
Test 1. Absolute Wavelength Accuracy
 Test 2. Sensitivity
 Test 3. Polarization Dependence
 Procedure Standard instruments flat contacting connectors
Test 4. Optical Input Return Loss
 Regulatory Information
 FC/APC patchcord loss
 Test 5. Amplitude Accuracy and Linearity
Polarization sensitivity
 Linearity = Power Meter Reading 86120C Power Reading offset
 21. Linearity Data Values
Page
 Specifications and Regulatory Information
 Specifications and Regulatory Information
 Wavelength
Definition of Terms
Amplitude
 Input Power
Sensitivity
Selectivity
Maximum Number
 Specifications-NORMAL Update Mode
Display resolution 001 nm
 Sensitivity
Amplitude
Selectivity
 Measurement Cycle Time
Input Return Loss
Measurement Applications
 Specifications-FAST Update Mode
 Amplitude
 Fast update mode characteristic S 2 measurements-per-second
 Operating Specifications
Operating Specifications
 Laser Safety
Laser Safety Information
Please pay attention to the following laser safety warnings
 Compliance with Canadian EMC Requirements
Acoustic Noise Emission Geräuschemission
 Declaration of Conformity
 Product Overview
Front view of instrument Rear view of instrument
 Product Overview
 Reference
 22. Instrument Preset Conditions 1
Reference
 22. Instrument Preset Conditions 2
Key Pressed Turned On
 Menu Maps
 Appl’s Menu
 Display List by Power Menu
There is no menu associated with this key
 Display List by WL Menu Delta On Menu
 There is no menu associated with this key
 System Print Menu
 System Setup Menu
 Error Messages
23. Instrument Specific Error Messages 1
 23. Instrument Specific Error Messages 2
 23. Instrument Specific Error Messages 3
 24. General Scpi Error Messages 1
Error Number Description
 24. General Scpi Error Messages 2
213 Init ignored
 24. General Scpi Error Messages 3
 Front-Panel Fiber-Optic Adapters
 Power Cords
 Agilent Technologies Service Numbers
Page
 Index
 Index
 Index-3
 Index-4
 Index-5
 Index-6
 Index-7
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 Agilent Technologies