Agilent Technologies Introduces World’s Highest-Performance Oscilloscope

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A)  introduced its Infiniium Z-Series oscilloscopes, which can be synchronized to measure up to 40 channels simultaneously with a maximum 63-GHz real-time oscilloscope bandwidth (on up to 10 oscilloscopes). With industry-leading noise and jitter measurement floors, the new oscilloscopes enable engineers to effectively test devices that incorporate the newest technologies and achieve new performance milestones.

The Z-Series includes 10 models ranging from 20 to 63 GHz, all of which are bandwidth-upgradable to 63 GHz. The Z-Series also features significantly faster processing and a next-generation user interface.

“The Z-Series further solidifies Agilent’s leadership in the high-end oscilloscope market,” said Jay Alexander, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Oscilloscope and Protocol Division. “With its processing power and new user interface, the new series helps engineers bring products using emerging technologies to market significantly faster. Several Z-Series oscilloscopes have already been deployed around the world and are now the go-to instrument in those laboratories.”

Key capabilities include:

• Sufficient bandwidth to capture the third harmonic on 28-, 32- and 40-Gbps digital signals;
• Next-generation user interface to analyze emerging technologies, including spatial modulation;
• Optional synchronization port to measure up to 40 channels simultaneously;
• Capacitive touch screen and touch-screen-friendly controls to improve the user experience; and
• USB 3.0 offload speeds, making it significantly faster to offload and analyze data.

The Z-Series leverages key technologies used in the 90000 Q-Series oscilloscopes. They include RealEdge technology, which comprises a combination of Agilent-proprietary architectures, next-generation microcircuits/thin-film components, and advanced application of Agilent’s indium phosphide semiconductor process. RealEdge enables high-frequency capability while maintaining the industry’s lowest noise and jitter measurement floors (75 fs).

These new oscilloscopes allow engineers to take advantage of Agilent Infiniium oscilloscopes’ industry-leading hardware and software advancements that have been years in the making. These improvements include seamless integration of elements such as:

• The ability to join multiple Z-Series oscilloscopes together using Agilent’s exclusive software to form a system of 40 channels or more (N8822A);
• Compatibility with more than 40 measurement-specific applications, including jitter, triggering and measurement software, analysis tools and full-compliance certification test suites;
• Breakthrough Infiniium offline analysis software, which lets engineers analyze data using oscilloscope software on a PC or laptop instead of tying up the instrument for analysis;
• N2807A PrecisionProbe Advanced software that helps engineers characterize and correct for cables to the full 63 GHz; and
• Agilent’s flexible and innovative InfiniiMax III probing technology for bandwidths up to 30 GHz.

Customers who have previously purchased the 90000 Q-Series can upgrade their units to Z-Series performance by ordering the N2105A and N2109A upgrade kits.

Additional information about Agilent’s new Infiniium Z-Series is available at www.agilent.com/find/ZSeries. Product images are available at www.agilent.com/find/ZSeries_images.

Visit Agilent at the 2104 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, Calif., Booth 3763, March 9-13. See the latest in innovative test solutions, such as the Z-Series oscilloscopes, and attend on-site instructional courses offered by Agilent experts, such as SC369 - Test and Measurement of Complex Modulated Optical Signals.

Agilent’s complete oscilloscope portfolio includes instruments with a variety of form factors with bandwidths from 20 MHz to 90 GHz.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent Infiniium Z-Series oscilloscopes can be ordered at the prices listed below. Shipments will begin in May. Shipments of 90000 Q-Series upgrades will begin in April.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company’s 20,600 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.8 billion in fiscal 2013. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.

On Sept. 19, 2013, Agilent announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of its electronic measurement business. The new company is named Keysight Technologies, Inc. The separation is expected to be completed in early November 2014.