Keysight Introduces 220 GHz Lightwave Component Analyzer to Validate Next-Generation Optical Transceiver Technology

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Key Terms

vector network analyzer technical

A vector network analyzer is a test instrument that measures how electronic components and systems handle radio-frequency signals, showing both how much of a signal is passed through and how its timing or phase changes across different frequencies. For investors, VNA usage signals that a company can verify and optimize the real-world performance of antennas, chips, filters or wireless gear—important for product quality, regulatory approval and competitive positioning—like using an audio equalizer to reveal and fix how a speaker alters sound.

electro‑optical technical

Electro-optical describes devices or systems that convert electrical signals into light or detect light and turn it into electrical signals, combining electronics with optics much like a microphone and speaker pair but using light instead of sound. Investors watch electro‑optical capabilities because they underpin cameras, sensors, fiber-optic communications and medical imaging; performance, cost and reliability of these components can drive product demand, competitive advantage and revenue outcomes.

opto‑electronic technical

Opto-electronic describes devices and technologies that convert between light and electricity, such as sensors that turn light into electrical signals or LEDs that turn electricity into light. For investors, opto-electronic products matter because they sit at the intersection of optics and electronics and drive markets like telecommunications, sensors, displays and industrial automation; their performance, cost and supply chain can directly affect a company’s revenue and competitive edge.

photodetectors technical

Photodetectors are electronic components that convert light into an electrical signal, like a light-sensitive microphone that 'listens' to photons instead of sound. Investors care because these components are core to products such as optical communications, sensors, cameras, LiDAR and medical imaging; improvements or shortages can change a maker's costs, product performance and market competitiveness, similar to how a faster engine or cheaper parts affect a carmaker's prospects.

optical modulators technical

Optical modulators are devices that control and encode information onto beams of light by adjusting brightness, timing or other light properties—think of them as dimmer switches or traffic signals for laser beams. They matter to investors because they are key components in high-speed fiber networks, data centers, sensing systems and optical computing; improvements or shortages can affect product performance, costs, market demand and therefore company revenues and valuations.

coaxial technical

Coaxial describes two or more cylindrical parts that share the same central line or axis, commonly seen in cables and mechanical shafts. For investors, the term matters because coaxial designs—like coaxial cables used for data, TV or RF signals—affect performance, durability and manufacturing cost; think of it like a straw inside a tube that keeps a signal steady and protected, which influences product quality and infrastructure investment decisions.

03/12/2026 - 11:00 AM

New analyzer accelerates design and validation of 1.6/3.2 Tb/s optical transmitter and receiver components to advance next-generation high-speed optical interconnects

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) introduced the N4378A Lightwave Component Analyzer (LCA), delivering fully calibrated S-parameter measurements up to 220 GHz to help engineers overcome the growing test challenges of next‑generation optical components used in artificial intelligence (AI) and data center applications.

The Keysight N4378A 220 GHz Lightwave Component Analyzer enables the PNA/PNA-X Vector Network Analyzer to characterize optical transceiver components for 1.6T and beyond.

Driven by AI and machine learning workloads, data center networks are rapidly transitioning to higher data rates, requiring precise characterization of electro‑optical (E‑O) and opto‑electronic (O‑E) components at ever‑higher frequencies. Designed to integrate with Keysight’s PNA-X Vector Network Analyzer and frequency extenders, the N4378A LCA provides a scalable platform that enables single-sweep, broadband measurements up to 220 GHz at 1310 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths.

The N4378A LCA is supported by enhanced software that simplifies setup and improves measurement confidence. Advanced user guidance and analysis capabilities help engineers validate performance, reduce design risk, and accelerate product development.

Key benefits of the Lightwave Component Analyzer include:

Enables single-sweep characterization up to 220 GHz, providing deeper insight into photodetectors and optical modulators.
Supports O-band data center interconnects and C/L‑band terrestrial and submarine applications with a single instrument.
Validates next-generation dual‑drive optical modulators using differential measurement capability.
Protects sensitive 0.5 mm coaxial connections and enables safe repositioning between calibration and measurement with a quick-release mechanical fixture.

With the introduction of the N4378A Lightwave Component Analyzer, Keysight is helping shape the future of high‑speed optical innovation. Keysight collaborated with leading industry partners for RF probes, coaxial adapters, and test cables for the 0.5 mm coaxial ecosystem to deliver complete measurement capabilities.

Dr. Joachim Peerlings, Vice President of Network and Data Center Solutions at Keysight, said: “With the introduction of Keysight’s 220 GHz Lightwave Component Analyzer, we are enabling the industry to validate transceiver component designs for next-generation optical interconnects. By combining industry-leading optical bandwidth with wideband wavelength coverage and a robust 0.5 mm coaxial ecosystem, engineers can correlate simulation with real-world measurements and accelerate time-to-market.”

As AI and cloud architectures continue to push the limits of bandwidth and complexity, Keysight’s advanced photonics test solutions empower engineers to explore new design frontiers and deliver the optical interconnects that will define the next era of data center performance.

Keysight will demonstrate the new Lightwave Component Analyzer for the first time at OFC 2026, March 17-19, 2026 in Los Angeles.

Resources

Technical Overview: 220 GHz Lightwave Component Analyzer
Product Page: N4378A Lightwave Component Analyzer
Product Page: NA5305A Frequency Extender up to 170 GHz
Product Page: NA5307A Frequency Extender up to 250 GHz

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we're delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We're a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.