LeCroy Introduces Serial Data Analyzers with X-Stream Technology for Real Time Analysis of High-speed Complex Data Rates  

Chestnut Ridge, NY For Release October 1, 2002

LeCroy Corporation has introduced three versions of a Serial Data Analyzer, models SDA 6000 (6 GHz signal capture bandwidth for data rates up to 3.33 Gbits/sec) and SDA 5000 (5 GHz signal capture bandwidth for data rates up to 2.5 Gbits/sec) and SDA3000 (3 GHz bandwidth for data rates up to 1.5 Gbits/sec). These products make it easy to accurately and reliably perform measurements on high speed serial data streams. A wide range of target applications include computer (and computer component) design/validation, testing of high speed differential electrical links and capture/analysis of optical signals (up to and including OC48). The SDA’s are designed with a unique user interface that makes the measurement process easy and incorporate LeCroy’s patent-pending X-StreamTM technology allowing engineers to conduct real time analysis on high-speed, complex data rates at up to 3.33 Gbits/sec. The SDA 6000 features a 20 GS/s maximum sampling rate, 6 GHz input bandwidth, extremely low trigger jitter (< 2.5 psec), long acquisition memory and is designed with a number of specialized analysis tools. In addition to locating signal degradation problems, it can also trace the problem back to its origin, allowing for the comprehensive analysis of serial data streams, telecommunications components, transceiver subassemblies and transmission systems. The SDA 5000 (and SDA 3000) have many of the same features, with 5 GHz (and 3 GHz) bandwidth inputs. Optional accessories include optical to electrical converters and reference receivers with optical bandwidth above 4 GHz.

The SDA’s high sampling rate and bandwidth allow the Serial Data Analyzer (SDA) to conduct extremely accurate single shot measurements, which is increasingly important when analyzing the packetized data found in today’s optical and electrical serial data systems. With the SDA, data is measured bit by bit so that even the smallest signal anomalies – even those that are <400 picoseconds – can be discovered. In addition to locating the problem, the SDA features advanced eye diagram analysis and other troubleshooting tools that allow engineers to find the cause of the anomaly so that it can be easily and quickly corrected.

LeCroy has designed the SDA series specifically for analyzing the high data rates found in optical and high speed electrical serial data systems. It can conduct a number of measurements, including jitter, noise, duty cycle, overshoot, undershoot, extinction ratio, Q-factor, mean optical power, and amplitude. Mask testing of SONET/SDH, gigabit Ethernet, and other standards can also be conducted. Not only can these measurements be made accurately, they can be conducted 10  100 times faster than with any other similar type of digitizer based communications analyzer presently on the market.

X-Stream Technology
The SDA series can conduct precise and complex measurements quickly due to the incorpration of LeCroy’s X-Stream technology, an extremely fast streaming architecture for handling and analyzing data. It enables high data throughput even when performing complex measurements and long data arrays. The front end of the X-Stream technology starts with silicon germanium (SiGe) amplifiers and ADCs which track the incoming signal, digitize it at 10 GS/s on each of four input channels and stream data to "super fast" CMOS memory chips that can accept the 10 Gbytes/sec data rate for up to 48 million points of acquisition. This acquisition memory is a proprietary LeCroy design that performs a variety of operations. It packetizes the data from the ADC and transfers the packets in a real time streaming mode via dual high speed data busses to the CPU board. At that point, the operating system optimizes the possibility that the analysis algorithms and data packets are simultaneously resident in cache so that calculations can be performed extremely fast.

Once the first batch of data arrives at the CPU, a host of display, measurement and analysis routines can be invoked. Using X-Stream, a long complex waveform can be under analysis by the CPU while the next signal is flowing through the front end of the streaming architecture. The X-Stream technology software algorithms enable data packets and the analysis routines for performing measurements on those packets to be simultaneously resident in the microprocessor cache. This allows complex signal analysis to be conducted on packet data 10 to 100 times faster than older technologies which rely on moving data to the microprocessor from RAM.

Jitter Analysis Package
One of the most common needs of design/test engineers who work with high speed circuits is the requirement to quantify the amount of timing jitter in a circuit and to identify/troubleshoot jitter sources. LeCroy is now offering a next generation timing and jitter analysis package for the WaveMaster series. The SDA comes standard with this jitter package which allows the user to measure and view jitter in the time, statistical and frequency domain. It quantifies random vs deterministic jitter, offers a breakdown of deterministic jitter sources and estimates bit error rate. A “golden PLL” is implemented in software to create a local timing reference that is superior to hardware clock recovery circuits used in other serial data analyzers. In addition to offering more jitter analysis tools than any other oscilloscope, the WaveMaster also enables the most accurate jitter measurements. This is due to its world leading 1 psec jitter noise floor. This low noise floor preserves signal integrity when making jitter measurements better than any other instrument.

Unique and Powerful User Interface
The powerful user interface in the SDA presents the user with a comprehensive display of the key measurements required by all optical and electrical serial data signals. Eye pattern, jitter, bit error rate and waveform parameters are displayed in one easy to read display. By displaying these key measurements together, the user can quickly determine compliance with standards as well as locate the sources of errors. Design debugging throughput is enhanced by the integrated measurement capability of the SDA since it is not necessary to measure eye pattern, jitter and bit error rate on separate instruments. The deep memory and fast sampling rate of this instrument allow the capture and display of data sequences as large as 223 bits which enables users to evaluate pattern dependent problems without the need for special triggers or signal sources.

Standard Equipment Includes:
Jitter and Timing Analysis Package
Prolink Adapter SMA (4)
Prolink BNC Adapter (2)
SVGA touch screen
CD ROM Drive
Floppy Disk Drive
Operator’s Manual
Quick Reference Guide
CDROM with Remote Control Manual, utilities and recovery software
Protective Front cover
SVGA video, 10/100BaseT, parallel and USB ports
Optical 3 button wheel mouse
3 year warranty
Performance certificate

Delivery is 6-8 weeks ARO.

Engineers who would like more information can call 800-4LECROY (800-453-2769) or visit (www.lecroy.com).

LeCroy, a U.S. corporation established in 1964, designs and manufactures analog and digital storage oscilloscopes, signal sources, and waveform digitizers. Manufacturing facilities are located at corporate headquarters in Chestnut Ridge NY. Direct sales and service offices are located throughout the United States, in all major European countries, and throughout Asia.

Media contact: Patrick Brightman, SSD&W (973) 299-8000
Editors’ Technical contact: Dr. Michael Lauterbach, LeCroy (845) 578-6057
Customer contact: LeCroy Customer Care Center (800) 453-2769
Website: www.lecroy.com