LeCroy
Corporation, a supplier of oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers and serial
data test solutions, today announced the launch of a new class of
instrument, the SPARQ series of Signal Integrity Network Analyzers. The
SPARQ measures 40 GHz S-parameters on up to 4-ports with single button
press operation at a small fraction of the cost of traditional methods
such as Vector Network Analyzers. With the low price and ease of use of
the SPARQ, multi-port S-parameter measurements are now accessible to a
much wider audience.
The
SPARQ is a time domain instrument, using TDR/T technology along with
patented LeCroy innovations to rapidly acquire waveforms and measure the
S-parameters of a device under test. The SPARQ measures both frequency
and time domain results, and outputs standard Touchstone S-parameter
files that are ready to be loaded into the user’s simulation software.
The unit is small, rugged, PC-based and portable, and includes all of
the hardware and software tools required by the signal integrity
engineer for characterizing passive devices.
The
SPARQ calibrates using an OSLT calibration kit that is internal to the
unit. This allows the calibration and measurement to proceed
automatically with a single button click and without any need to connect
and disconnect calibration standards. With the SPARQ, the painstaking,
lengthy and error-prone calibration procedure is once and for all
eliminated. The “E” model SPARQ units include the internal calibration
capability standard, and also support manual calibration using an
external calibration kit. Setting up the SPARQ is also fast and easy;
all configurations for the S-parameter measurements are contained within
a single setup screen.
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When
using the automatic calibration, the SPARQ de-embeds the attached
cables, adapters and fixture to return the S-parameters of just the
device under test. Users have no need to worry about the location of the
reference plane or to employ separate software to assist in the
measurement process.
A
standard SPARQ includes all of the hardware and software tools required
for fast and accurate S-parameter measurements with high dynamic range.
Users can measure single-ended, differential and mixed-mode
S-parameters (both magnitude and phase), and view corresponding time
domain results including step response, impulse response, rho and Z
normalized to a user-selectable rise time. These features are available
at no extra cost to the user. The TDR and TDT waveforms can also be
viewed, and the unit includes a very lively TDR/TDT mode of operation
for debugging purposes.
The
software provided with the SPARQ will be familiar to users of LeCroy’s
Windows-based oscilloscopes, sharing the same overall look and feel and
user-friendly operation. Up to 16 S-parameters result waveforms can be
displayed simultaneously, with the ability to zoom, reposition and
perform math and measurements on waveforms in a manner similar to
leading LeCroy oscilloscopes.
Three
models are available: the SPARQ-4004E (40GHz, 4-port, internal
calibration), SPARQ-4002E (40GHz, 2-port, internal calibration) and
SPARQ-4002M (40GHz, 2-port, manual calibration).
SOURCE: www.lecroy.com
