PRESS RELEASE
04 March 2019
Contact:
Susan Wey
General Photonics Corp.
1.909.590.5473 ext. 131
swey@generalphotonics.com
General Photonics Announces its OFA-1000 Dynamic Optical Frequency Analyzer– ChirpWise™ for Characterizing the Dynamic Frequency Properties of Lasers
ChirpWise™ aids in measuring the frequency of a stationary or fast sweeping laser with unprecedented speed, resolution, and dynamic range.
San Diego (OFC), Calif. – March 4, 2019 –General Photonics Corp. (now a part of Luna Innovations www. lunainc.com), a world leader in polarization related fiber optic test and measurement technologies, today announced the launch of the OFA-1000 (Dynamic Optical Frequency Analyzer– ChirpWise™), the first instrument on the market dedicated to the measurement of rapid optical frequency variations. Unlike conventional OSAs, the OFA-1000 characterizes the dynamic properties of tunable lasers, especially swept-frequency (or swept-wavelength) lasers, with unprecedented speed, resolution and spectral range. Such information enables advancement in many applications including chirped LIDAR for autonomous vehicles, optical coherence tomography (OCT) for industrial and medical optical imaging, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) for distributed sensing, and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS).
The Dynamic Optical Frequency Analyzer measures several critical parameters related to two main types of measurements. First, it characterizes important dynamic properties of tunable lasers during frequency tuning - including instantaneous frequency, instantaneous spectral width, frequency variation rate and direction, and frequency variation nonlinearity - with MHz measurement rate and GS/s data acquisition speed capabilities. In addition, it reveals the spectral properties of ultra long coherence length (or ultra-narrow linewidth) lasers - such as frequency jitter, center frequency statistical distribution, the dynamics of laser mode or frequency hopping, and jitter induced spectral width - with a resolution down to tens of Hertz.
"As fast tunable lasers and long coherence lasers see wider use in various sensor systems, such as LiDAR and acoustic sensing, understanding the frequency dynamics of such lasers becomes increasingly important." said Steve Yao, the founder of General Photonics and the inventor of the technology. "General Photonics is proud to present the first instrument capable of direct, real-time measurement of these properties."
Summary of Technical Specifications
Operating Wavelength Range (Dual Window): 1260-1360 and 1480-1620 nm, Frequency Resolution: down to 100 Hz, Spectral Finesse: ≥109, Wavelength Measurement Speed: user selectable, up to 107 nm/s, Wavelength/Spectral Accuracy: 0.5 pm, Spectral Power Resolution: 0.1 dB. The instrument comes with a user friendly software package.
Pricing and Availability
The OFA-1000 ChirpWise™ is available immediately. Interested parties may contact General Photonics direct or a General Photonics channel partner near them.
About General Photonics
Founded in 1995, General Photonics is an award-winning world leader in the design and development of advanced optical polarization and timing management instruments, modules and components. Its products are used worldwide in applications such as fiber optic communications networks; test and measurement applications such as for coherent detection systems; fiber optic sensor systems; medical imaging equipment and other applications. General Photonics, a privately-held company, maintains its headquarters and a manufacturing facility in Chino, California. The company also uses a worldwide network of sales distributors and representatives. More information can be found at http://www.generalphotonics.com. The company just becomes a division of Luna Innovations.
Note: references to corporate, product or other names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.